If you've ever talked with anyone who has applied for disability benefits, you know that it is neither a simple process nor a short one. I say this not to discourage you, but to prepare you. Migraineurs face the additional challenge of an invisible disability with no definitive diagnostic tests. MAGNUM is working on this very challenge. With the assistance of Senator Charles S. Robb, they are working to to add medical evaluation criteria for migraine to Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
It does seem to be getting easier for Migraineurs to qualify for disability. Some of our forum members have been approved on their first try, which is very unusual. The majority of disability applications are denied and have to be appealed. So, if you're not successful on your first attempt, get a lawyer and appeal!
Here are some resources to help you in researching disability benefits:
- "Social Security Disability Programs Can Help" - Online brochure from the Social Security Administration
- "What You Need To Know When You Get Disability Benefits" - Online brochure from the Social Security Administration
- MAGNUM[/link]'s Disability and Impairment Section
- ADA Home Page[/link], U.S. Department of Justice
- Social Security Online[/link], Social Security Administration
Now, here's the pep talk that some
of you have come to expect from me:
If Migraine is keeping you from working, or if you're forcing
yourself to work at the expense of your health, check into filing
for disability. There's no shame in it. Migraine is a neurological
disease, not something dragged from the depths of our imaginations.
Get your doctors behind you, and start the application process. If
you want to talk to others who have been through it, come to our
forums. You'll
find others there who have already been approved and some who are
going through the process now.
