There are many medical conditions that can sideline you from a job for a prolonged amount of time.
However, the potential complications of an organ transplant can last for the rest of your life.
The relatively rare medical procedure happened just 36,500 times in the United States in 2018, with a kidney transplant landing the top spot on the transplant frequency list.
From your body rejecting a donated organ to profusive bleeding that causes life-threatening issues, an organ transplant can derail your career permanently.
The question is how to you compensate for the loss of income?
Financial resources provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA) answers that question.
Filing a Claim with the SSA
American workers recovering from an organ transplant can seek financial assistance by submitting an application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
SSDI covers a large portion of the costs of paying for medical treatment and rehabilitation programs.
Just as important, SSDI helps professionally displaced workers receive income during the stressful time it takes to recover from an organ transplant.
When you submit an SSDI application, paying attention to details is the difference between receiving financial relief and wondering how you will survive the financially catastrophic loss of a full-time job.
The SSA follows a strict set of guidelines when reviewing SSDI applications.
According to the SSA Blue Book, organ transplant patients must wait 12 months after the last surgery to apply for financial assistance.
If you are an organ transplant patient, you need to submit medical documents that confirm the procedure, as well as proof that the organ transplant forced you off the job.
Many initial SSDI applications come back denied by the SSA, which means to boost your case, you should work with a highly-rated Social Security lawyer.
Are You Still Eligible for Medicare?
If you recently had an organ transplant and you are eligible to receive Medicare benefits, should you go with Medicare or apply for SSDI financial assistance?
Medicare, which is available for Americans that reach the age of 65, covers the cost of health care.
SSDI benefits not only take care of paying medical bills, the SSA safety net program also provides income for organ transplant patients that lose their jobs.
If you receive Medicare and then go through an organ transplant, you have to process an SSDI claim to nullify your Medicare coverage.
Getting Back to Work after an Organ Transplant
One of the goals of the SSA is to help disabled workers find their back to the workforce.
An organ transplant can leave patients chronically fatigued, as well as in pain for extended periods.
A job that requires little, if any physical exertion can help organ transplant patients transition back to the workplace.
Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) represents one SSDI back to work program that provides financial advice for organ transplant patients during the time it takes to land a job.
PASS teaches disabled workers how to save money for paying the expenses associated with job hunting, such as using a professional resume service to create credentials.
A Free Case Evaluation Improves Your SSDI Application
With the SSA rejecting a majority of SSDI applications, it is essential that you find out where your claim stands by undergoing a free case evaluation.
A state licensed Social Security attorney will conduct a free case evaluation to determine how you can bolster your SSDI claim. Your lawyer also can help you file an appeal if the SSA denies your SSDI application.
