Ask Larry

Am I Getting Benefits Illegally?

I'm in serious trouble. I was in the hospital and forced to sign many, many unfilled-out forms. I'm on SSDI because I earned it and needed it. But now I have MASSHEALTH! Illegally! I own my condo! Now I got a letter that I have been switched to SSI! My monthly payment is now reduced, I'm not getting money to pay my mortgage December 12th, and I've been tricked into getting MASSHEALTH by the hospital! Medicare only pays 80%, and I have a $26,000.00 bill from 15 days in August-Sept hospitalization, and so the Hospital forced me to sign pages and pages of blank, bogus forms so they could get my signature and force me to get MASSHEALTH when I was hospitalized 3 weeks in November! I told the woman I don't qualify for MASSHEALTH because I own property, but she did it anyways! I'm so scared! My mortgage plus condo fee, is lower than rents, for crying out loud, I'm not cheating anyone! I have some equity, that I am saving for "Assisted Living" when I'm 10-15 years older or older than that! I have no savings! Now I lost SSDI ! SSI is Federal welfare! I don't qualify! I'm destroyed!

Hi,

I'm really sorry to hear about the problems you're having, but I'm not in a position to be able to help you. My expertise is limited to Social Security benefits only, so I have no idea whether or not you qualify for MassHealth. I would suggest contacting the agency that administers that program to discuss your eligibility.

Nothing you've stated in your question explains why your Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) would have been stopped. You should probably contact Social Security as soon as possible to find out why that's happened. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs based program administered by Social Security, and if you qualified for SSDI you would also likely be considered disabled for SSI purposes. You also need to meet the financial hardship guidelines in order to qualify for SSI, and I don't have enough information about your finances to know if you meet the guidelines. You may want to try using the following SSI screening tool: https://ssabest.benefits.gov/.

SSI does have a resource limit of $2000, but your equity in a house or condo in which you live is excluded from counting as a resource for SSI purposes. I have no idea whether or not the MassHealth program has a similar exclusion, though.

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Dec 9 2018 - 9:40am
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