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From: scot@nwuxf.att.com (Scot S Trombly-Freytag)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Help with Disability Retirement
Keywords: MS, Multiple Sclerosis, retirement
Message-ID: <16520@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 29 Dec 90 03:05:56 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: scot@nwuxf.att.com (Scot S Trombly-Freytag)
Distribution: misc
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 12594

I have someone who needs information on retirement
because of disability.

This person has Multiple Sclerosis and hasn't reached 65 yet (she's 52) 
but has reached a point where it has become too hard to continue 
working. She works for the school system in Michigan.

She currently has three options:

	a) Social Security  (Social Security has not been particularly 
	                     forthcoming with information. )
	b) Long term Disability
	c) Retirement through Michigan Public School Employee's
	    Retirement System.

Social Security and Long Term Disability both require that she quit
before she can find out if the systems will cover her.
The Retirement plan will let her continue work for until they've
declared her disabled (and for up to 30 days after), so that seems 
a good place to start.

Another problem is getting medical insurance with any of these systems:
Social Security says that she won't be eligible for Medicare for two
years after being declared disabled (does this make sense?), and
I assume there may be a problem with qualifying for insurance under
her husband's plan or the retirement insurance's plan because of the
nature of the disability.

The preference is for real medical insurance as opposed to Medicare.

Since I don't read this newsgroup, I would appreciate that 
any comments/information emailed to me at the address below.

Thank you in advance for any help you can suggest.

J. Scot Trombly-Freytag       email: att!nwuxf!scot
AT&T Network Systems
Lisle, IL