Need Transportation to Your Doctors’ Appointments?

Need Transportation to Your Doctors’ Appointments? We recently found this handy little tool that allows you to find transportation resources by parish sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Transportation. You will find some of these services are free to seniors and the disabled and some charge a small fee.   Each resource will list the requirements to use their services. Its very easy to use: 1. Click the Link Below http://www.dotd.la.gov/intermodal/transit/resource/resource.asp Select your Parish   Retrieve the Contact Information  read more

Navigating the LSU Medical Center Low Income Clinics

Getting started with the LSU Medical Center Low Income Clinics can seem like an impossible task. LSU Medical School overseas most Louisiana State funded healthcare programs.  To help serve the public more efficiently they have implemented a healthcare clinic system where patients who meet the income requirements can be seen on a regular basis. In the Baton Rouge area Earl K Long Medical Center has closed and all patients have been moved to Our Lady of Lake Regional Medical Center.  That transition has improved things significantly for this area. In other areas, clinic locations have shifted and other changes have taken place as well. We have created this guide to help you Navigate the LSU Medical Center Low Income Clinic system. LSU PATIENT HELP LINE: 1-877-578-8255 [LSU-TALK] Nurses are available 24 hours to answer your health related questions Southeastern Parishes Lafayette and Surrounding University Medical Center, Lafayette, LA Address: 2390 West Congress, Lafayette LA Phone: (337) 261-8509 Appointments: (337)261-6654 Lake Charles and Surrounding Moss Memorial Health Center – Urgent Care & Clinics Address:  1000 Walters Street. Lake Charles, LA Urgent CarePhone:  337-475-8185 Appointments:  337-475-8066 Alexandria and Surrounding Huey P. Long Medical Center,              Address: 352 Hospital Blvd, Pineville, LA 71360 Phone: […] read more

Some Public Employee Retirement Systems Not a Part of Social Security

Fourteen states cover substantial numbers of their public employees under independent plans: Louisiana Texas California Missouri Kentucky Ohio  Nevada Alaska Colorado Illinois Massachusetts Minnesota Connecticut Maine From 20% to 100% of the public employees in each of these states are not covered by Social Security. Firefighters and Police officers in nearly every state are not covered by Social Security. Nationwide, about 6.6 million public employees are covered by state or local plans in lieu of Social Security. Approximately one-fourth of employees of state and local government do not participate in Social Security. This includes most, to substantially all, public employees in Louisiana, Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Ohio. In addition, approximately two-thirds of public safety officers–firefighters and police officers–do not participate in Social Security. These workers are in the seven states listed above and many other states. An estimated one-half of public school teachers do not participate in Social Security, including a majority to substantially all in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas. Also, more than one-fourth, but less than one-half of public school teachers in Georgia and Rhode Island also do not participate in Social Security. Both employers and employees who do not participate in Social Security […] read more

Criteria for Approval for Louisiana Disability Benefits

The Department of Children and Family Services gives specific criteria for approval of Louisiana Disability Benefits on their website @ Louisiana Children and Family Services Website  The Social Security Act provides benefits to disabled individuals under Title II (Disability Insurance Benefits) and Title XVI (Supplemental Security Income-SSI). Under Title II there are three basic categories of individuals who can qualify for benefits on the basis of disability:  A disabled insured worker under 65.  A person disabled since childhood (before age 22) who is a dependent of a deceased insured parent or parent entitled to Title II disability or retirement benefits.  A disabled widow or widower age 50-60 if the deceased spouse was insured under Social Security. Under Title XVI (or SSI) there are two basic categories under which a financially needy person with limited income and resources can get payments on the basis of disability:  An adult age 18 or over who is disabled.  A child under 18 who is disabled. Further Information from the Louisiana Children and Family Services Website  states: How is disability defined by the Social Security Act? The law defines disability as the inability to perform in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment(s) which is expected to […] read more

How to Prepare for Your Social Security Disability Application Appointment

You’ve made the right choice placing your trust in our firm to represent you with your Social Security claim.   The next step in the process after determining your eligibility with one of our case managers is to begin the  social security application process via a telephone consultation with one of our experience disability lawyers. It is important that you are prepared for this appointment with the following information: 1.    Work History/Information We need the last 15 years of work history as SS will be asking this information during the application. Total Earnings for prior two years. 2.    Medications List An updated list of all medications you are taking, why the medication is prescribed and the name of the doctor who prescribed the medication. 3.    Doctors/Hospitals Please have a list of all doctors and health care professionals that you have seen in the last 2 years.  If you were seen in a hospital we will need the name, address and dates that you were seen.  Any inpatient stays for longer than 24 hours need to be provided. 4.    Marriage Information Current spousal information (birthdate, SS number, date of marriage, city and state married in.) We will also need the above information for […] read more

The Social Security Disability Appeals Process

If you’ve applied for Social Security disability benefits and you’ve been denied, don’t give up.  Over 70% of all initial claims will be denied.  You can challenge a benefits decision by Social Security Administration by appeal but you only have 60 days to begin the appeal. The Social Security Disability Insurance program is administered under a process that requires applicants to meet certain guidelines. It also includes several levels of review and disability appeals.  The guidelines are stringent and it’s very easy to miss an important deadline and have to start the process all over again. Take a look at the most common mistakes people make when filing their own claim: Missing the appeal deadline.  If this happens you have to file your initial claim all over again and may miss out on back benefits. Deciding not to appeal.  The process may seem so stressful and overwhelming it’s just easier to accept the denial.  Don’t make that mistake; you’ve paid into the system through years of hard work.  It’s your right to receive the benefits you deserve. Not providing the right information. Meeting with Social Security Disability examiner can be stressful and it’s easy to forget details about your medical history or the effects of […] read more