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Laurie wrote-- >What type of benifits do you refer to? >My mother in law is 70 so her SS is in the time slot that doesn't get very >much SS at all. I will never truly understand it. But she has PD very bad, >with no insurance and it is all they can do to make their rent. She is on >Medicare to pay for her dr. but if there is anything else that might help >her out such as disability or such I would really like to know. We help out >as much as possible but we aren't much better off. We have started a new >busines, have 2 kids and are working on a tight shoe string budget. >If you are referring to the powers that be as connections I am afaid we are >sorely lacking in those. My husband is an attorney who does a lot of SSDI work. As far as the question above, once someone is 65 the SS Disability is out and regular SS takes over. However, it might be possible for your folks to get some SSI--supplemental security income--based on assets or income, and perhaps even some medicaid type help. Their assets must be very low. James tells me that an important part of SSDI law is age--if you are over 50 you have a much better chance of getting benefits than a younger person who could possibly be retrained. If you see a doctor or other vocational specialist it will probably not hurt to be as bad as possible, to meet their test of disability. Connections don't have much to do with SSDI, but some states reject more people, which forces them to go into the administrative law system, and some conditions--the back problems mentioned are the classic--are harder to prove. As I understand it disability is based on a set of diagnoses, and if you are several small problems rather than one major condition that is where you are likely to have problems. I would like to find out more about the NOCARR (sic) organization. James has done less of this work in the last couple of years because there used to be state money to pay lawyers for getting folks off public aid and onto disability, and it was easier to get a fee based on the amount of work performed. These days the judges and SS system seem to find lots of ways to keep lawyers from getting paid, especially from the big back benefits check that typically accompanies these claims. Cindy, CG for Gladys Birk, 79/1, Carmi, Illinois Cindy Birk Conley [log in to unmask] >From Southeastern Illinois to your modem!! >>http://www.midwest.net/scribers/cbconly