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At 20:28 22-3-98 UT, Barbara Mallut wrote: >Dear List-family... > >As of yesterday, I've been turned down yet another time in my efforts to be >declared eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). > <fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param><bigger> This is a mail about social security and is only half PD . I do feel it is a tricky subject because people reading it might feel it has the provocative atmosphere, that in Dutch idiom is called :"bei uns ist alles besser" ( German for: in our country everything is better ) But I rather run that risk than making the subject a taboo. Hi all readers, First a literally reaction on the question. It seems the eximinators in answering this question negatively misinterpret nervous damage as if it means damage of the peripheral part of the nervous system, but with PWP's the damage, as you all know, is in the central part. But I don't know the ins and outs of the US red tape, so can't tell whether it is usefull to put this forward as an argument. The fact that the statement is such a platitude shows the absurdity of the misinterpretation. Acccording to this line of reasoning even a person with Alzheimer would be fit to work. Stories like this give me the impression of living in another world. After first reading this list it struck me how many of the PWP's in the US are still working. I did quit my job immediately, not being able to sit motionless and not being able to concentrate. I had no choice. That was thirteen years ago, and I still have a gross income thet is 70% of my salary, adjusted for inflation, the difference in my net income is smaller. I'll have this income until retirement pay starts when I am 65. This retirement pay will be only a bit smaller than it had been if I had not stopped working. I have once being examined to be officially unfit for work . Some years ago, the law in which this is settled has been under pressure. The law was misused by employers to get rid of an employee, because just firing somebody is only possible when an employer is bankrupt, if not it can only be done with a "golden handshake". But nobody who consistently said he was unfit for work was denied this payment. It is difficult to prove somebody feels well. The rules of the examination are more strict now, but PWP's are always without any trouble recognised as being disabled. The costs of health care are in a rather complex system insured for everyone who lives legally here. I do never get a bill and don't know the prices of my meds. People who have a medium or lower income, pay for the health insurance for him/herself and all the dependent children, a price that is dependent on their income. A too high "medical consumption" is prevented by the system of the "huisarts" , which is a general practitioner. Having a health problem, one has first to consult the "huisarts" and only after consultation with him one can be refered to a specialist. I don't have numbers but it is said that the total costs of healthcare per caput are smaller here than in the US. Maybe that is caused by the opposition against "medicalizing" things too easy. I read in the paper some weeks ago that in Brazil a very great part of all deliveries are done by a caesarian. For me this seems a horror story. In Holland about half of the deliveries are done at home with the help of a midwife. I know that for much people this seems to be a horrorstory. I guess Denmark is the only other developed country with homedeliveries. Am I right Sonia? Yet another law is helpfull for the disabled. When I got troubles with the stairs in my house, I could call somebody of the local authority and an empiloyee visited us. In our house two "stairlifts" were build so I now can go up and down sitting. These lifts are rather expensive, but did not cost us one cent. The financial rules for nursing homes are changing. It has been completely without payment by the patients. Now plans exist to let people pay an income dependent (property is not included so an own house is not lost) price. </bigger></fontfamily>Kind regards, Ida Kamphuis, Holland -------------------------------------------------------------- Vriendelijke Groeten / Kind regards, Ida Kamphuis mailto: [log in to unmask]