This morning I was at the general session of the conference of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) in Washington. I will be summarizing the points that I found of interest in the presentations.
I start with Marty Ford, who is the Chairperson of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), the major umbrella organization of disability advocacy groups in the United States. I do not mean to slight Ms. Ford, whose presentation was mostly news to the audience, but the only thing that I heard from her that was more or less news to me, was that the twenty-four month waiting period for Medicare after one qualifies for disability benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act is "on the table" at the Senate Finance Committee.
I start with Marty Ford, who is the Chairperson of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), the major umbrella organization of disability advocacy groups in the United States. I do not mean to slight Ms. Ford, whose presentation was mostly news to the audience, but the only thing that I heard from her that was more or less news to me, was that the twenty-four month waiting period for Medicare after one qualifies for disability benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act is "on the table" at the Senate Finance Committee.
The 24 month waiting period will become less of an issue if our Congress can make progress in ensuring that all Americans have health insurance. A significant number of those applying for disability would be able to continue working if they could afford health care. A diabetic, for instance, who can afford regular check ups, test strips and insulin, is much more likely to be able to work until retirement age than one who may even go undiagnosed until he/she slips into a diabetic coma.
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