The AtlanticA Clinton Ad Full of Disability StereotypesThe AtlanticDisability has received an unprecedented amount of attention in the 2016 election so far. Trump's mockery galvanized protest among politicians and activists alike last November. As I reported for The Atlantic in January, the non-profit RespectAbility …and more » [Read More...]
Deep Budget, Service Cuts from Secial Security
The non-partisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities reports this week that budget cuts have forced SSA to cut drastically services, and even impose a hiring freeze in 2011 in the face of increasing applications. This led to a deterioration in SSA phone service that the agency has only partially reversed. In 2016, the average caller to SSA’s 800 number can expect to spend over 15 minutes on hold, and nearly 10 percent of callers will receive busy signals. The cuts also affected SSA field offices, where people can apply for benefits, replace lost Social Security cards, or report name changes (due to a marriage or divorce, for example). SSA has closed 64 field offices and 533 mobile offices since 2010 and reduced hours at remaining offices. Before the budget cuts, more than 90 percent … [Read More...]
Mesothelioma surgery improves quality of life, study finds – Science Daily
Mesothelioma surgery improves quality of life, study findsScience DailyMalignant pleural mesothelioma is caused by environmental factors such as exposure to asbestos as well as a genetic predisposition to the cancer. It develops in the pleura, the thin layer of tissue surrounding the lungs. As the tumor grows, it …and more » [Read More...]
Sometimes you get bad advice even from the Social Security office
A friend of mine contacted me a few days ago. A long-time friend of hers was looking into filing for disability benefits. Actually, he had been considering filing for about three years, which was part of the problem (if your condition is severe enough that it makes it difficult for you to engage in and do work activity, "thinking" about applying for disability may simply amount to a very huge [Read More...]
Sizing up the iPhone SE
Read some of the comments on the internet and you might think that Apple took a step backwards. Who wants a smaller phone? Samsung and other phone makers kept saying make a bigger phone. They jumped on the size queen boat. Apple went larger with the 6. So why go backwards? I, for one, love […] [Read More...]
How Your Hearing Testimony Can Help Win Your Disability Benefits Case
Social Security disability hearings generally last less than an hour, but the agency’s hearing backlog currently averages over 18 months in many locations. When you add the 8 to 12 months it takes for SSA to conduct its administrative review, most disability claimants won’t see the inside of a courtroom for over 2 years from the date they apply for benefits. If you are waiting 2 to 3 years for your chance to spend an hour with a judge, you cannot afford to waste time or come to your hearing unprepared. Nevertheless, far too many disability claimants waste or misuse the precious time they have with the judge by testifying ineffectually. Last month I wrote a blog post entitled “Should You be Concerned about “Trick Questions” from the Social Security Judge?” I … [Read More...]
IMRT for Long-Term Survival After Mesothelioma Surgery – Surviving Mesothelioma
Surviving MesotheliomaIMRT for Long-Term Survival After Mesothelioma SurgerySurviving Mesothelioma23155743_linear Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) can safely slow or even stop mesothelioma progression after surgery as long as the dose is just right. A team of Texas radiation oncologists reached that conclusion after studying the … [Read More...]
‘Veep’ Director Raises Awareness for Kids with Learning Disabilities – Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood Reporter'Veep' Director Raises Awareness for Kids with Learning DisabilitiesHollywood ReporterThe former Eastbound & Down producer — an advocate for kids with learning disabilities, spurred on by her own 11year-old son's struggles in the classroom — partnered with organization Understood to create a video that would raise awareness of those … [Read More...]
Wheat Ridge police call death of developmentally delayed 10-year-old boy … – The Denver Post
The Denver ChannelWheat Ridge police call death of developmentally delayed 10-year-old boy …The Denver Post"When a 10-year-old with multiple disabilities is found unresponsive, that's suspicious to us," Wheat Ridge police spokesman John Romero said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. Romero said officers responded to 911 calls about 11 p.m. Tuesday to …Death of 10-year-old with developmental disabilities is suspicious, Wheat …The Denver ChannelWheat Ridge police investigating the death of a 10-year-oldFOX31 Denverall 9 news articles » [Read More...]
A day to change perceptions on disabilities in workplace – Irish Times
Irish TimesA day to change perceptions on disabilities in workplaceIrish TimesWhen was the last time you were helped by an employee with a disability? Would you have known? Not necessarily. Is a disabled person somebody in a wheelchair, or living with an injury from a car crash? Perhaps it's somebody with a mental health issue. [Read More...]
Powerful Skin Cancer Drug Stops Mesothelioma Tumor Growth – Asbestos.com
Asbestos.comPowerful Skin Cancer Drug Stops Mesothelioma Tumor GrowthAsbestos.comA groundbreaking immunotherapy drug that effectively treats skin cancer stopped tumor growth in 76 percent of patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a recent study shows. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine …and more » [Read More...]
Outdated Stats Used to Support Attacks on Social Security
The Los Angeles Times recently ran a great article debunking a recent Wall Street Journal piece that attacked Social Security recipients. “… Put it all together, and what you get is an op-ed that appears to be based on statistics but whose import is political. Its implicit theme seems to be that disability appeals are suspect by nature, and judges who approve more than the average must be up to no good. As we’ve written before, this is a variation on ancient conservative attacks on the “undeserving poor.” Disability benefits, in truth, are hard to get; only about 40{9c067c25ed205f086ce6001901eb13dfadc688a7aefab9f64e0c55b8c5a55872} of applicants end up with payments, even after all appeals are exhausted. Wait times are long, and the average benefit of $1,165 per … [Read More...]
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