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[quote=Anonymous]
DD, 21, has a progressive disease for which some treatment is available but she is not otherwise medically stable enough yet to receive it. School and work have been out of the question for a couple of years but we are hopeful we can get her to a place where she might be able to do two courses at a local college next semester.
My hesitation in applying for SSI/SSDI is that we have upper middle class income, although DH retired this year, lowering it. I am conflicted--having her own source of income would give her some independence as she is totally dependent on us but at the same time should people like us be taking advantage of such government programs?

Every case is individual, but I do think one must look at the short-term when we are around to support a Disabled Adult Child and the long term when we are not or not able to do so.  Believe me, the unknowns are scary, but you have to work with the rules and regs here and now.  From what I know having a young adult daughter who both qualified for SSI and Medicaid Health Insurance and then qualified for SSDI on her own work record and then for a much higher amount on her Dad's work record when he retired and after 24 months qualified for Medicare Health Insurance, I will try to point out some considerations.

[b]Health Care -[/b] From what I am familiar with I think the important thing to remember always is that your daughter is on your family health insurance and can be with COBRA through age 29 as long as one of you has family health insurance.  After that or if there was "a common disaster," the key is what would her health insurance coverage be?[b]

[b]Cash Benefit - [/b]Your daughter is entitled to either SSI or SSDI based upon various rules, and whatever your personal beliefs,  I also think it is important to consider whether going through the application process, receiving a benefit AND learning how to manage her funds might help her feel and become more independent of you, her parents.  If she has the cognitive skills to go to college etc., this may be a very important aspect of helping her to live life as fully as possible.

To be clear, I have met families who genuinely do not want to use government cash benefits because they do have the resources to provide for a disabled son or daughter.  However, I wonder if they are also looking at the long-term ramifications of the related health care coverage that one might qualify for when they no longer have a job and  "a family health care policy."  To be able to have Medicare as primary and Medicaid as secondary.

[b]To qualify for both SSI or Medicaid, one must not only meet the criteria of disability, but also of limited resources.  For SSI, one can "spend down" resources, but for Medicaid as with adults there is a 5-year look back period.  So if there are assets which can be spent or transferred consider whether to do so to make her eligible at about age 26/27.[/b]

- At age 18, she was viewed as a "legal family of one," and as long as all countable assets in her name are $2,000 or less, you could go to your local Department of Social Services and get the short application for Medicaid Health insurance to at least establish her eligibility or to use as a secondary health insurance to perhaps pick up things that your family health insurance may not.  NOTE:  If you apply for SSI first and get one payment, then Medicaid is very simple.

- At age 18 and certainly now where due to her health condition you have the documentation to easily provide that she has been unable to work and is likely to be so for at least a year and earn  SGA or $1,070 gross per month, you might go to the local Social Security Administration office to apply for SSI.  It is a cash benefit of $710 per month, but to be clear you are really doing so mostly to get her qualified for Medicaid (in the future if you and husband were not around and if she could not get really good health insurance.)

- If your daughter can go to school and/or work in the future, but would still need/want to have access to Medicaid coverage, there are ways to legally do this if she eventually earns too much to still qualify for SSI/Medicaid.

[b]To qualify for SSDI one can do so in one's own work record, whether one is disabled or not, once you have worked the required number of quarters AND an individual is actually moved from SSI to SSDI when this criteria has been met, which does involve learning about a new and sometime conflicting set of rules.  Why- because SSI comes from the general funds, while SSDI and the amount one receives is based on the person having worked and paid into it.  One key difference in SSDI and SSI is that there is no limit on the number of resources one might have - bank account balance, stock, real estate etc. - in one's name.  HOWEVER, ALWAYS AND FOREVER REMEMBER THAT TO QUALIFY FOR SSI/MEDICAID, THERE IS A RESOURCE LIMIT OF $2,000 which if you have a disability, you want to keep in mind.[/b]  Some key points:

- If your husband worked, paid into Social Security at any time and is now retired, your daughter would qualify for Supplemental Security Disability Income now based upon his work record, AND it will not reduce what he is receiving in Social Security, and/or I believe that he does not himself have to have started receiving it as yet (but not 100% sure.)  For example if the parent receives $2,600 per month which is taxable, the Disabled Adult Child who is unable to work at all could qualify for as much as $1,300/month untaxed for a lifetime.  And if the parent dies, it goes to close to 75% a month for a lifetime.

- Each case is individually calculated and you need to do it face-to-face at the SSA office, and even then,many workers may get it wrong.  It is based on something call a maximum Family Benefits Number.

- Our daughter's example is that she started at age 18 while in school full-time receiving SSI which today would be $721/month.  Then she recently was working and had moved off of SSI and qualified for $461 a month in SSDI+her wages.  Then when her Dad retired, her SSDI monthly cash benefit went to a total of $1,300 (based on her SSDI and difference from her Dad's work record.)  [b]This is certainly a much higher monthly cash benefit to have to use for an adult with a disability.  The key is tha tone must still keep all countable resources under $2,000,[/b]

- [b]The real benefit of SSDI is that after receiving it for 24 months, one qualifies for Medicare Health insurance coverage. So even if the amount a Dsiabled Adult Child would receive under SSDI, the real benefit is qualifying for Medicare in time[/b] If one keep eligibiity for Medicad then Medicare is primary and Medicaid is secondary (or like one's supplement.)

- I do not know how Medicare would interact with a disabled adult child still covered under a family's plan as that was not an option for us.  I think there may be some health care coverage that can follow a Disabled Adult Child for life as perhaps with the military benefits that one might look into.  AND with the Affordable Care Act provisions, I have no idea whether a young adult with chronic health condition could get better coverage under a private plan for her through the program once there is not longer family coverage available.  I would welcome hearing what others are doing.

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