quote:

ORIGINAL: ahorman

I am not sure if this is the correct place for this, or if there is a correct place for this. If this is not the correct forum please let me know.

Now, the help I am needing:

I was recently forced by the state of Texas to quite my job. I am disabled and in a wheelchair and get benefits from the state. In an effort to get off of those benefits I managed to finally get a job after looking for nearly 10 years. In a letter dated the day I started my job Health and Human Services demanded paycheck stubs under threat of denying further benefits while I had not even gotten my first paycheck.

I informed them I had not even gotten a first paycheck so they had me verify future income, guessing. They denied all benefits based on that. The job I had was a temporary seasonal position gotten through an out of state staffing agency that specializes in the disabled. They did not offer benefits and any outside health insurance would not have kicked in until after the end of the contract date, which would have been 15 January.

They told me I had to choose between job and benefits. I would not have been even able to afford insurance after the contract end date, so, I had to quit 14 December, only a month of work total, in order to get benefits. Now, my goal in taking a short term job was not to play the system, but, to fill in a gap in my resume to show steady, real employment so I could go after permanent jobs with benefits.

I have tried contacting everyone I can think of from government representatives to a local news station to an elder law attorney. My voice alone just does not seem to be enough to be heard. So I am asking for help to get my voice heard. Below is a link to a petition I started. I am also going to go out and pass out flyers and even stand on street corners with a sign in my lap if I have to get this signed. Please read and sign it, I want to work, but need the initial support, please, help me be heard.


http://www.change.org/petitions/donna-campbell-change-state-medicaid-law-to-allow-for-120-day-grace-period-to-work

quote:

ORIGINAL: EdBowie

LBJ's legacy lives on.

quote:

ORIGINAL: ahorman
the ones that start to help turn and say they specialize in Social Security

quote:

ORIGINAL: MAINEiacMISTRESS


In the meantime while fighting this battle have you considered volunteering? If you find the right volunteer work (similar in duties to a paid job) it will still be considered as "work experience" by future employers. Remember, all applicable skills (not just paid ones) are considered when sifting through job applicants.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MAINEiacMISTRESS

I should have added some examples of the volunteer positions I was talking about.

1. Hospitals
2. State House -one example is Consumer Rights Mediator (this postion offers training in mediation and negotiation, which can be useful in law offices, wholesale purchasing, etc)
3. Animal shelters
4. Emergency Counseling services

Check your local newspapers for volunteer training programs, or call places directly to ask.

quote:

ORIGINAL: LafayetteLady

OP, I'm a bit confused here, you initially received Social Security benefits based on "survivor" status, which means you received benefits as a minor with a deceased parent. Then it was you who was determind to be disab led, and you receive SSD because you are a quadrapalegic (you mention here and in your profile not having the use of your hands ).

You state that you did begin a job through Social Security's ticket to work program. You SSD payment is low enough for you to qualify to also receive Medicaid and other benefits from Social Services, like food stamps.

So given all those facts you state: the ticket to work people didn't properly explain how the program will effect any benifits you receive from social services. Benefits from social security and social services are two entirely different programs that, while they often both can be available to disabled people, have two completely different sets of rules.

You receive SSD, and appently have received it for more than two years, so you receive (and are required to take) mediCARE, which is completely different than mediCAID. So you were never losing your health insurance, just losing the medicaid that you had with your medicare. You also were not told that you would be losing any income benefits through social services, because they didn't provide any, your income comes from social security disabiity benefits which are not administered by social services.

Each state administers medicaid individually, so the guidelines may be a bit different for each state. Incidentally, social services does NOT reaaly know all medicaid guidelines because it isn't their program. Meanwhile, you could have reapplied for medicaid when the job ended and you would have received them again based on your income.

So while I understand not wanting to be on welfare and wanting to earn your own way, you were never without insurance, you were just going to without medicaid while your medicare remained intact. Also, unless you earned your bachelor's in psychology on line, whatever school you attended likely had a department to help you find a job and possibly required you to complete and internship to graduate.

I'm really not trying to be mean here, but based on what I've just said above, that's why no one is really helping you. You are trying to change the law which in this case can not be done through a lawsuit because there is no case. No negligence, no violations of rights or laws, no case. I also think you haven't communicated your problem very well to the people you sought help from. I didn't post until you provided more info because your quest in the OP made no sense.

So my suggestion would be for you to more clearly understand your situation before going to anyone else looking for their assistance.