The Costs of Being Disabled

Have you ever been at wit’s end wondering how you’re going to pay your bills, or make your monthly rent? And if you have children, how are you going to afford to send them to college? On top of this, how are you going to pay for all that and your health care bills at the same time?

Not only are there emotional costs to disability, but the monetary costs can sometimes spiral you into depression. You may frequently find yourself wondering how you are going to pay for the medical supplies and the daily care, let alone any operation to make your quality of life better. It’s difficult enough to save money with life being so expensive, now add to that the disincentives built into the system for people with disabilities to work and earn a steady income. If we are not able to work, how are we going to afford living in this body?

Well, if you feel this way, you may be encouraged to know that you are far from being alone. We here at United Spinal Association receive letters daily from people struggling to stay afloat financially and healthy all at the same time. And while we cannot, unfortunately, hand out money, we can offer some pointers-and hope-to help you get the financial resources you need.

The first thing you want to do is make sure you are getting your public benefits such as Medicaid, Social Security Income, and Social Security Disability if you are eligible. If you have been injured on the job, make sure you are receiving Worker’s Compensation. If you have been injured through a violent crime, make sure to contact the Crime Victims Board (see June Orbit 2005, “Taking Some Sting Out of Crime”). They may provide a lump-sum compensation for your injury. In addition, many people sign up for supplementary health insurance such as Medicare.

The next and most important thing to do is become connected with a local advocacy and support organization. Become familiar with the new community you belong to; join a support group. These agencies often have information about financial opportunities that are not always available to the public.

According to a recent conference, “SCI: Aspects of Specialized Care,” at the Bronx VAMC, total medical costs for a person with SCI in 1990 averaged about $224,000 per year: renovations to the home cost an average of $15,000; medication and supplies cost an average of $25,000 per year; caregivers cost anywhere from $11,00 to $21,000 per year. Of course, in the last 15 years, the costs have not decreased. In 2000, SCI injuries in the New York City area ranged from $200,000 to $700,000 per year in rehabilitation costs alone. Long-term injuries can run to over $30 million.

As you can see, these costs seem outrageous. It is important not to be overwhelmed by the costs of having a disability. Make sure that you are being educated about what types of obstacles lie ahead of you; prepare, and get financial advice from support organizations.

An excellent tool we use here at United Spinal is a program called Benefits Checkup. Anyone can use it from their home computer, and it is free. (www.benefitscheckup.org.) This program will allow to plug in your personal information and analyze what other financial opportunities for which you may be eligible. It will provide important contact people in your area, as well as direct phone numbers so that you can contact them and actually speak to a person, not just the automated answering service.

Above all, do not give up hope. There is help out there. You just have to reach out and ask for it.

Jessica Reiss is a social work intern.