I have someone looking into my 9 plus months off while having pouch surgery. I have been back to work for six months and actually got a call from my rep. saying I was approved for disability. I filed while I was off cause at the time I never thought I would be able to work. Anyways I had to tell her the truth and say I was working and to check into the time I was off. She said I may have been eligible for temporary disability. I will keep you informed. Takes forever to hear from them so it may be a while.

Social Security Disability and private long and short term disability insurance plans are two different things and one should not be confused with the other. What qualifies as a disability under private short or long term disability plans may not qualify under SSD and vice versa. Totally different legal standards. One is determined by contract and case law and one is determined by administrative law/ administrative law judge using different legal criteria and standards.

My disability claim was approved by the social security administration in 3 months, the first and only time I filed. I kept hoping to get back to work so didn't file as soon as I could have. To my surprise I also received one year of back benefits from the date I filed.

My advice to anyone who is disabled to go ahead and file. Make sure your doctors agree you are disabled as they will all be filling out paperwork on your behalf. I had to meet with one of their MD's and a psychologist during this process. Do not rely on them to make your case for you. The psychologist told me he asks questions SSA tells him to, writes the answers down and sends them back to them. He said he doesn't diagnose or approve anyone. I have other health problems besides my dysfunctional j-pouch. If you are unable to work it is beneficial to include everything that is wrong with you physically and mentally. If you are having anything like depression, anxiety and/or PTSD you should be in therapy and include it in your claim.

The process is grueling mainly due to very long and detailed forms you need to fill out. It took me over a week to fill mine out as I have concentration problems. My spouse also had to fill out some forms too.

I was approved and my health status will be reviewed in 5-7 years after it was approved. This is the longest time as have other reviews timed at 18 months or 3 years. When assigned 5-7 years it means that they consider it highly unlikely that my health status will change. The official disability date was approved to the last day I worked and I only worked 1.5 hours that day. My j-pouch surgeries took place 6 months after my disability date. In other words if you were disabled for a long time file. You might just need the benefits for 18 months or 3 years etc.

A close friend of mine with 6 overlapping auto-immune diseases was also approved with her initial application. Her former employer hired specialists to help her with the filing but they didn't do much other than review the forms she filled out prior to her filing for benefits. If you think you'll have problems with the paper work please hire someone to assist you. Things are better if you don't have to file an appeal.

I'm writing this so that if anyone is holding off filing because UC and Crohns aren't on the list please file . IMO when they get approved I don't see how the approval process will change much. I found everyone that I was in contact with at the SSA was very helpful. I understand there are some instances where this isn't the case.

We have paid for this disability "insurance" starting with our very first jobs as waitresses, fast food jobs and any other work we started as teenagers until the time we became disabled. This is not a hand out or entitlement like some political people spout about. It is simply us turning in claims to receive the insurance benefits we are due.

I'd rather be working. Also you become eligible for Medicare insurance after 24 months of SSD benefits. This a big help.

I signed this petition as I agree they should be included!!!!!