Insurance

What is disability insurance?

Disability insurance pays part of your income if you become too sick to work (any job, not just your current one). Most policies pay about 60 percent of your salary.

Disability can be short-term or long-term, depending on the length of time you are unable to work. Short-term disability is usually less than 6 months.

How to get disability insurance

Private insurance companies offer short-term and long-term disability insurance plans. Some employers provide disability insurance. If you’re employed, check the details of the coverage provided by your company.

You can also buy disability insurance on your own or add to the coverage your employer provides.

Some people can get long-term disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Learn more about these benefits below.

Buying or choosing disability insurance

If you are buying or choosing disability insurance, check the following:

• How the term “disability” is defined
• The extent of disability (partial or total) before payments begin
• Whether you can renew the policy
• Residual benefits (partial payments if you are still able to work, but in a more limited way that causes a decrease in income)
• Size of monthly benefits
• When payments begin (between 1-6 months after the disability)
• Length of coverage 
• Cost-of-living adjustments to keep pace with inflation

Social Security Administration disability benefits

The Social Security Administration provides monthly payments to people of all ages who:

• Are not able to work for at least 12 months due to a disability
• Have a terminal illness 

People with breast cancer (especially those with stage IIIB or IIIC breast cancer, or metastatic breast cancer) may qualify for two types of benefits:

• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Medical eligibility is the same for SSDI and SSI, but each program has its own non-medical criteria.

Social Security Disability Insurance

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are available for people ages 18-65 who have worked throughout their lives.

SSDI is funded by payroll taxes. You are eligible as long as you have:

• Worked for any 5 of the past 10 years (less if you are young) and 
• Earned a certain amount of taxable income in those years (for example, in 2017, you must have earned at least $5,200 per working year.

SSDI payments depend on your salary and years of work, but most people get about $1,100 per month. You can get an estimate of payments from your local Social Security Administration office. To find an office near you, visit the Social Security Administration's website.

Learn more about SSDI.

SSDI and Medicare

Once you get SSDI payments, you are eligible for Medicare 24 months after your breast cancer became “disabling.” This is not necessarily when you applied for disability benefits, but when your breast cancer kept you from earning income.

If you want to get Medicare, apply as soon as you can. Enrollment can take some time and there is no way to speed up the process.

SSDI benefits for your family

If you get SSDI payments, your family may also be eligible for some benefits.

The following family members are eligible for up to 50 percent of your monthly SSDI payments. (These payments are in addition to what you already get.)

• Children ages 18 and younger 
• A spouse over age 62
• A spouse sharing in the care of your children under age 16

Your household payment limit is about 180 percent of your currently monthly payment. For example, if your SSDI payment is $1,000 per month, then your household payment limit is $1,000 x 1.8 = $1,800 per month.

Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits have no work requirements and are available for people of all ages. SSI can be a good option for those who haven’t worked recently, such as a parent who took time off work to raise a family.

However, SSI benefits are for those with the most need, so there are strict income and resource limits. You are not eligible for SSI if:

• Your taxable income is more than $735 per month in 2017 
• You and your spouse’s combined taxable income is more than $1,103 per month in 2017
• Your spouse’s income is above the federal poverty level 
• You have any large “resources” (including more than $3,000 cash in savings, a second home, a second car, stocks, bonds or life insurance)

If you are eligible for SSI, you can automatically be enrolled in Medicaid in most states.

Unlike SSDI, there are no SSI benefits for family members.

Learn more about SSI.

Learn more about resource limits for SSI.

Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplementary Security Income benefits

You can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) online.

With Supplementary Security Income (SSI), part of the application can be done online. However, you will need to go to your local Social Security Administration office to complete the process. To schedule an appointment, call the Social Security Administration toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. (Be sure to make an appointment. If you just show up, there may not be anyone to help you.)

For both applications, the Social Security Administration will need to confirm your breast cancer diagnosis. You don’t need to submit any medical records. However, you’ll need to list the hospitals where you’ve had treatments, as well as the doctors who’ve treated your cancer so the Social Security Administration can contact them.

On your application, give as much detail as you can about your surgery and other treatments (such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy or other medications) and general well-being. This can help your chances of approval.

Apply for SSDI or SSI benefits online.

Find your local Social Security Administration office.

If you have questions about SSDI or SSI, email the Social Security Administration at [email protected] or call them toll-free at 1-800-772-1213.