Questions regarding financial assistance!

[lookingforu]

   First of all I want to thank EVERYONE here, you've all been so very helpful in the past, and I wish I could thank each and every one of you personally!
   I finally have an SSDI hearing with my attorney and an Administrative Judge, (via video, but I'll take it) after waiting almost 2 years.
   Since my last posting I had fired my previous set of physicians because I felt my physical and emotional needs were not being met. I have signed on with a local AIDS Medical Group here that's awesome, and had me in to see a therapist and psychiatrist within my first week. Here they have diagnosed me with PTSS because of years of sexual abuse as a child, severe depression, anxiety and put me on quite a few new meds which haven't "solved" my issues, but they don't seem so bad now...(I had been asking my previous doc for 2 years and ignored).
   Sorry for the babble! My question, is money! I currently have none and living with family under a very stressful environment. I now have no car, I live 45 miles from downtown, I get food stamps, and $180/mo from the state for now, but should I win my SSDI case.. what happens? I'm lost, and read nothing but conflicting info on the net that has me climbing the walls!
   Will I be eligible for Section 8 housing? Will I end up living in a ghetto? Will I still be eligible for food stamps as well? 

BTW.. aside from the severe neuropathy, mental issues, and liver problems... my numbers are still decent at CD4-1120, VL-Undet
   

[leatherman]

Will I be eligible for Section 8 housing? Will I end up living in a ghetto? Will I still be eligible for food stamps as well??

all those thing will be determined by your financial eligibility - meaning it will depend on what your monthly disability income amount is

[intaglio]

   I finally have an SSDI hearing with my attorney and an Administrative Judge, (via video, but I'll take it) after waiting almost 2 years.
 

The judge is going to speak to you personally. Be honest, but be mindful that your answers reflect your abilities when your struggles are at their worst, not best. The judge will ask you if you can perform specific duties. Again, be honest, but make sure your answer reflects how much a struggle it would be when life is totally kicking your butt.

I get food stamps, and $180/mo from the state for now, but should I win my SSDI case.. what happens? I'm lost, and read nothing but conflicting info on the net that has me climbing the walls!
   Will I be eligible for Section 8 housing? Will I end up living in a ghetto? Will I still be eligible for food stamps as well?

All this depends on your award amount. If your award amount is high enough, you will no longer be eligible for cash payments from the state. Also, if you receive a lump sum payment for the period from the date of your application to your award, you may have to pay back to the state a portion of your award, due to the fact your award covers the time period from the date of your application forward.

Going forward, even if you are living with others, as long as you do not share food you may still qualify for food stamps. If you live with others -and share your food resources, you may no longer qualify.

Section 8 housing - you may be eligible depending on what your SSA award is. Even if you qualify, you may have to spend months on a waiting list before housing becomes available. Is it in a ghetto? That depends on where you live. Here in Topeka, there's nice Section 8 housing and not-so-nice Section 8 housing.

Talk to your food stamp caseworker. They'll be able to answer a lot of these questions. Also consider that Medicare will kick in too. I would recommend you pay for Part B (Office visit copay) if you can. If your SSA award is small and you are still eligible for Medicaid, it may not pay you to sign up for Part B. You may be required to also sign up for Part B and Part D (prescription coverage) if your state has to still cover you under Medicaid.

Get your disability determination first. Once you have your disability determination confirmation letter, take that to all the caseworkers who coordinate your benefits now. They will then tell you whether or not you continue to be eligible for their programs.

[lookingforu]

  Once again, thank you so much everyone. And intaglio? Your passion for detail is amazing, thank you for your enthusiasm.... you actually made me smile

[BT65]

I don't know how Medicaid works in your state, but where I live if someone gets Medicare and qualifies for disability Medicaid, it (Medicaid) will pay the Medicare premiums, both parts B and D (it's called QMB Medicaid), and a person also qualifies for "extra help," meaning help with Part D prescriptions. It's also like that in the state just to the north. Check it out with your caseworker. 

Where section 8 housing is accepted depends on if the landlord of the place you find appropriate takes section 8.  Section 8's waiting list is not always open for people to sign up.  They usually let local social service agencies know when the list opens up.  And that's just to sign up, it can take years before actually getting on the program. 

At the ASO I work at, the housing person knows someone at Public Housing, so our clients kind of get approved before the list even opens up.  You should check that out as well, to see if the same is available at the agency you're associated with.