Medical Care and Social Security Disability for Those Under 50

Obtaining Social Security disability benefits for a person under the age of 50 is not impossible, but it is much more difficult then it would be for someone over 50, who is considered an older individual. For those that are younger than 50, obtaining disability benefits is dependant on their ability to prove that there is no work they are currently able to do. For an older individual, they typically only have to prove that they can no longer do the work that they did in the past 15 years. If you do not have medical insurance, Social Security will send you to their doctors. Their doctors are not there to help you but to evaluate your case in a quick and methodical fashion. Because of this, having a record of treatment from independent (non Social Security) doctors is generally the best way to provide proof of your disability. These are physicians with real knowledge of your case and experience with your disability.

If you do not have medical insurance, there are two different places you can go for help. One of these is the county clinic in your county, and the other is a vocational rehabilitation center. County clinics are there for people who do not have medical insurance. When you first contact these clinics you should not immediately tell them of your medical problems. Often times, when the administrative staff hears about your complicated medical problems, they will tell you that they cannot help you because they do not have proper funding for your condition(s). They may decide to turn you away before you even get to see a doctor. Instead of providing a long medical history, when you speak to a county clinic, simply state that you a person without medical insurance who needs to see a primary physician. Say nothing else. Then, when you get in to see the doctor, you can provide details about your condition and concerns. Often times, they will send you to specialists for your conditions and pay for it.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Program, is a state funded program designed to help people be trained to do some type of work. But before they send you to work, they will look at your existing medical records from previous medical providers and they will also send you to their doctors. They will pay for doctor visits, medications, tests and even surgeries and/or procedures, if warranted. At the end, they will make a determination as to whether they feel you can or cannot work. If they feel you cannot work due to your severe limitations, they will issue a decision stating so and refer you to apply for disability benefits through SS. This can help your claim, because the experts in the field of getting you back to work say you cannot. And as a "bonus," you have also received the treatments and medicines you needed without having to pay a penny. On the other hand if they believe that you can work then they will train you and help you find a job. In this case, the medical records, etc., you obtained can still be used to prove your Social Security disability claim.

The truth is, it is incredibly difficult to get Social Security disability benefits if you are under 50 unless you have received medical treatment outside of Social Security. Because of this, if you are looking to apply for Social Security disability, it is important to start the process by seeking medical treatment for your condition immediately.