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In July, Megan Girardy, EBS in Jackson County, met with a man who had recently entered into home hospice after surviving four years with stage four prostate cancer. They discussed the process of applying for disability benefits and began filing for early retirement benefits. The local SSA field office representative proved very helpful and began the process of filing for survivor benefits and designating the client's wife as representative payee for their two children. Megan helped the client complete a compassionate allowance request in August. At each visit along the way, they spent time discussing family, going through old photos, sharing hunting stories, and learning about his family's history. When the client passed away in late October, Megan was invited by the family to come to their home to assist with the notification process. After she arrived, his wife showed Megan that she had received notice that benefits were approved with a back payment award of more than $18,000, which the family later used to cover funeral expenses. Megan received a hand-written thank you note with the client's signature, an invitation to his celebration of life, and an open pass to his hunting cabin to continue sharing stories with his family.
Monetary Impact = $18,000
10/31/2022
Story #43
Emily Berry, EBS in Price County, helped a client understand benefits she already had but was not using! The client came to Emily at the recommendation of her doctor to apply for SSDI after receiving a diagnosis of Stage 4 Chronic Kidney disease. The client thought she was receiving Social Security Retirement benefits and nothing more. After conducting a thorough investigation, it turned out the client was actually already receiving SSDI from a previous illness, as well as MAPP. Her kidney disease was caused by the treatment of her previous illness. The client had no recollection of her disability determination and had never received her ForwardHealth card. This is a great example of how EBS help individuals who are overwhelmed with health crises and have fallen through the cracks of the systems.
7/28/2022
Story #19