ReadOns.com | Discover New Blogs Daily

Guide to insurance benefits for people with disabilities

Getting insurance benefits provides a much-needed financial cushion for people with disabilities. This is because they may need financial aid, given their situation and the unique challenges they face. There are various options for insurance benefits available for people with disabilities, and being aware of these options makes it easy to get some financial help and make certain changes accordingly. Here are some of the benefits that they can avail themselves of:

SSDI and SSI benefits
According to government laws, there are two programs under which anyone with a disability can claim benefits: SSDI and SSI. However, some details are to be reviewed, and some have eligibility criteria for participating in the program.

SSDI
It is also known as Social Security Disability Insurance, and this type of benefit is tied to the person’s work history. Individuals with disabilities can avail of this benefit if they have a disability and have worked long enough to qualify for Social Security. They must also have a history of paying Social Security taxes through the years they worked. Under this program, the government pays individuals and certain family members, provided they are eligible for the scheme. Some of the most common disabilities for the recipients of this program include mental impairments, musculoskeletal conditions like back injuries, arthritis, and other disorders of the connective tissue. Some circulatory conditions are also included, such as impairment of the nervous system and sense organs, cancer, metabolic and endocrine diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, and other life-threatening conditions.
SSI
Under Supplemental Security Income, the person does not have to have a work history. Under this program, they get financial benefits to cover costs like food, housing, and clothes only for those who have a disability, have a visual impairment, and are over 65 years of age.The government websites all have information on how to apply for each of these programs and whether the candidate is eligible. Within the Social Security program, there are various categories of insurance from which one can choose for help. This includes Social Security disabled widows’ and Social Security disability insurance benefits.

Health coverage
Under SSDI, after two years of receiving DI benefits, the individual also becomes eligible for Medicare. However, those who apply for SSI come from a low-income background and become eligible for Medicaid immediately after they start receiving their benefits. This important government plan helps those who cannot afford private insurance plans, which have become too expensive to manage for many.

Veterans Affairs Life Insurance
This is another program to help veterans who have a service-related disability. The Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance program stopped accepting applications in 2022. There is now a new program. Anybody who is 80 or younger and has a service-connected disability is eligible for this insurance benefits program. Some benefits under this include $40,000 in whole-life insurance coverage and cash value that starts to add up two years after the application has been approved.

Group Disability Insurance
Some companies opt for this type of insurance for their employees. However, there are some concerning points to note regarding group disability insurance. In some cases, the company only considers this an option if they have ten or more employees with disabilities to introduce this plan as part of their employment benefits package.
Under this plan, the insurance provides up to 60% of their pre-disability income, and they do have a maximum limit of $10,000 a month. This helps cover personal expenses and provides business overhead protection. There are some limitations to the group plans also, and they include clauses like the following:

The insured should be disabled to receive any kind of benefit.
In some cases, the premium is paid for the employees, but any of the benefits received are taxable, defeating the purpose of the financial assistance being provided.
The benefits are capped, which means that the higher-paid employees will not be able to get bigger benefits or a significant enough percentage of income.

Short-term benefits
After an accident that leads to any kind of disability, there is an option to get short-term benefits like up to two years of insurance or financial assistance. There is an option for long-term insurance, which extends to more than two years, so speak to the executive in detail to understand the options that can help financially and make the most sense considering the situation and circumstances. In some policies offered by insurance providers, there is also cancer insurance and critical illness insurance, which pay cash benefits directly to the person. This money can go towards recovery and treatment and even be used for everyday things like groceries or bills.

Speak to an executive in detail to understand all the available plans according to the injury and disability and make a list of pros and cons, which can be helpful. One should ask questions and check the eligibility carefully to ensure no time is wasted.

Popular Reads

11 useful tips for anxiety management

Nearly 84% of participants in a particular mental health survey were said to have some form of anxiety. The severity of symptoms did vary from person to person, but the fact remains that we live in a world where almost everything is a potential trigger for anxiety. And living in denial about having a psychological trigger only worsens the problem. Luckily, it is possible to manage anxiety by following the suggestions recommended by experts. Identify the triggers Anxiety is mainly triggered due to an event or episode where one finds themselves in a difficult position. It could be something that puts a person out of their comfort zone. Doctors advise people to identify these triggers and avoid them. Any comment, action, or situation that did not work out in favor triggers anxiety. So, make a list of such events and instances and ignore them the next time something happens related to that event. At the same time, try to remain positive as it can help strengthen the mind to manage anxiety better. Keep busy Distraction is one of the simplest ways to prevent a panic or anxiety attack. You can perform simple chores or indulge in a favorite task to stay physically and mentally occupied for a few hours. When the mind is occupied, there is hardly any scope for negative thoughts to trigger unnecessary overthinking. Some creative activities to boost cognitive performance include taking a walk, painting, drawing, listening to music, meditating, praying, and reading. You can opt for any of these to stay busy. Try mindfulness techniques Deep breathing and mindfulness techniques have helped thousands overcome their fear or anxiety time and again. Focused deep breathing is a method where one inhales for four counts and exhales for the same duration; this is practiced for minutes. It helps lower heart rate, which, in turn, calms the mind and body.

Atrial fibrillation – Causes, symptoms, and management tips

The human heart is susceptible to several health complications, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). The condition is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia, which is a term describing when the heart beats unusually slowly, fast, or irregularly. AFib is estimated to affect between 2.7 million to 6.1 million individuals in the country. An individual with the complication experiences irregular beating in the heart’s upper chambers, affecting blood flow, leading to health complications. Causes Irregularities in the structure of the heart are the most common cause of atrial fibrillation. Sometimes people may develop the condition without any known heart damage or problems. Risk factors like age may also contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation. Other potential causes of the phenomenon include a heart attack, sick sinus syndrome – issues with the heart’s natural pacemaker, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defect – A heart defect that an individual might be born with, high blood pressure, lung diseases, heart valve problems, use of stimulants, including certain prescriptions and caffeine, physical stress caused due to pneumonia, other illnesses, and also surgery, sleep apnea, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), metabolic imbalances, viral infections, and complications due to earlier heart surgery. Symptoms A person who develops atrial fibrillation may not notice symptoms, and the condition is detected only after a physical examination. But some people experience signs and symptoms before a diagnosis. A few common symptoms of AFib include being unable to exercise to one’s full potential, feelings of weakness, throbbing pain in the chest, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations and sensations of a fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat, and feeling extremely fatigued. Therefore, the symptoms of atrial fibrillation differ from one person to the other. Occasional symptoms (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) Here, a person may experience something that lasts from a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Macular degeneration – Types, causes, and remedies

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects a person’s vision and develops as people age. This progressive eye disorder involves the deterioration of the macula, which is a part of the eye’s retina. It is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults and may develop in one or both eyes. This condition is of two main types – dry and wet. Read further to learn about the disorder, its causes, and its types. Dry macular degeneration People are more likely to have dry macular degeneration than wet form. It is also less severe and develops when tiny yellow protein deposits under the macula. These deposits dry and thin the macula, causing gradual central vision loss while the peripheral vision remains intact. In the advanced stages, the dry form can progress to the wet form. People with dry macular degeneration need to test their eyes daily at home using an Amsler grid. One must consult a health expert immediately if any vision changes are observed. Wet macular degeneration In this condition, the blood vessels grow beneath the retina and macula and cause blood and fluid to leak into the retina. This build-up of fluid results in scarring, leading to permanent loss of central vision. The wet form can cause a sudden change in eyesight resulting in a severe loss of centralized vision when left untreated. People with wet macular degeneration may require repeated treatments. Symptoms Macular degeneration may not cause any symptoms during the early stages. However, as the condition progresses, it can cause distortion and blurry vision. It can result in difficulty reading, driving, and identifying colors. Macular degeneration occurs mainly in people aged over 50. Blurred vision Dark, blurry areas appear in the center of the vision, leading to increased blurriness in reading printed words. Visual distortion The person may experience visual distortions, such as straight lines that look wavy or crooked, and objects may appear distorted.