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My "working after being declared disabled" story somewhat parallels Sandra's experience with SSDI. When I returned to work (out of my home in the online industry( my MD AND my neurosurgeon told SSDI that I was still disabled and would continue to be in the future. However. SSDI took away ALL the benefits I'd earned (including Medicare, making it necessary for me to be out-of-pocket each month for my health plan-HMO membership to the tune of $162 a month for medical care, plus any co-payments due for treatment or drugs. I also had to reimburse the HMO for the 5 months that SSDI decided I was responsible due to my being "CURED" of Parkinson's Disease! I kid you not - - - that is what SSDI stated my condition to be!!! It took my getting an SSDI specialist attorney (and if you're on a second go round when you previously had been declared disabled by SSDI, few SSDI specialist attorneys out there taking to take a case on contingency for an applicant who's already "been there done that," with SSDI. Ultimately I got a terrific attorney service out of Chicago (thank goodness for email!) who flew out to L.A. on the day I went back to SSDI court 18 months after being "CURED" (I only WISH!!!!!) and she was WONDERFUL! I was returned all benefits and was awarded the amount I was out of pocket (in excess of $9000 for the SSDI and another $4000 for Medicare. The kicker of this whole miserable and debilitating experience was the fact that about 3 months *AFTER* SSDI had deposited the back payments award to my checking account, they up and took over $4000 back! If THAT isn't enough, they went into my personal checking account yet ANOTHER time ad took another $4000 a coupla months after the first time the hit my checking account! I mean they LITERALLY went into MY PERSONAL checking account and refunded to THEMSELVES!! Upon phoning SSDI (in a total state of shock) to find out WHY and HOW they took momey out of my checking account, I was more of less told "Because." It was laso suggested that IF I din't cooperate with SSDI, I would once again find myself without any SSDI benefits! I recognize it when I saw the handwriting on the way, and begrudingly accepted that SSDI was doing some hanky-panky SOMERWHERE In that behemoths, disorganized enterprise and I shut up thereafter/ Was I angry? Is the Pope Polish? Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] From: Sandra Norris <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thursday, May 18, 2000 2:13 PM Subject: Re: Returning to work after disability? >Hi Camilla, > >Yes I was awarded disability and tried going back to work for awhile. I was >almost penalized for the time I worked. After my situation was evaluated >social security decided not to ask for a return of funds. I did try working >for a year, but then the pd was becoming debilitating to the point there was >no ONE day alike. I have not worked for 7 years now. Hope this helps. > >Sandra Norris >"Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see."