Yes Karen- I truly think that it is just about talking to the right person. He's gotten some form letter based on the fact that he was a contractor over the past calandar year-- They kind of make it hard to collect on purpose-- you know?

I've listed the numbers in the email below...

Try contacting social Security and Medicare directly to figure out what he qualifies for and also to find a local branch in Georgia. You Dad was in the army and worked for the post office so he definitely qualifies for something.

I was a contract employee only in 2004 and 2005 and part of 2006 and went full time with a company as of Sept 1 this year. I had just switched to my company insurance and just barely qualified for short term disability thsnk god due to the fact I had worked there six months. So EDD looked at what I had contributed so far and based it on that I think .

This is a crazy coincidence but today I just got my social security tax and disability info-- it listed how much I had paid into social security medicare and how I can qualify for benefits. Here is some hopefully helpful info I will copy into this post for you
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It is the Social Security Administration socialsecurity.gov phone is 1 800 772 1213.

This is where you can request social security publications that document what your Dad has earned.

You can call and figure out his benefits. It showed how much I had paid into social security and medicare and also calculated how much I would receive for disability based on my total earnings I believe since I have ever been working. Your Dad was definitely paying into all of these things so he must qualify for something. I think they are just going back to the pat year and because he has't been working in the last calandar year it somehow automatically denied him at first.

Here's what it says about social security and medicare and disability

"ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE"

Social security pays retirement, disability familu and survivors benefits. Medicare a separate program run by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services helps pay for inpatient hospital care, nursing care doctors fees and other medical services and supplies to people 65 and over

OR to people who have been receiving
Social Security Benefits for two years or more. your social security covered earnings qulaify you for both programs. For more info on medicare visit medicare.gov or call 1800-6334227

"RETIREMENT" if you were born before 1938 your full retirement age is 65 for people born in 1960 and later the retirement age will gradually increase to 67

Some people retire before thier full retirement age - you can retire as early as 62 and take your benefits at a reduced rate- if you continue working after your full retirement age you can receive higher benefits because of additional earnings and special credits for delayed retirement.

DISABILITY- this pertains to your Dad

xxxx IF you become disabled before full retirement age you can receive disability benefits after six months if you have

--enough credits from earnings (depending on your age you must have earned 6-20 of your credits in the 3-10 years before you became disabled), and a physical or mental impairment that's expected to prevent your from doing 'substantial' work for a year or more OR result in death.

I think the above definitely includes your father. He's been paying into all that social security and medicare coffers for years and now he is sick and needs help. Its just a matter of filling out the right form and putting it into the right hands of the right governmental agent.

Just explore every avenue- there are funds there that will help offset the payment for treatments and his time out of work but you are going to have to make some calls and requests.

Good luck to you- praying for you and your Dad to find some answers and workable solutions.

Miss Kate