Info Desk [Paperwork, ordering, wait times, procedures, booklets, prescriptions...]

So, I’ve got this surgery scheduled for September, and I’m trying to wrap my head around the timeline—how long is this whole thing actually going to take? Just want to make sure I can get my ducks in a row at work... I’m heading into Mercy Hospital on Wednesday, the procedure is on Thursday... and since it's a routine operation, I'm wondering if I'll be heading home on Friday or if I should plan for Monday... if anyone happens to know, of course... also, what's the rehab situation looking like?

Thanks

Can someone please tell me one more time—is an employer actually required to pay for sick leave if you're working through a student employment agency?

It's for McDonald's. Basically, I quit because the job turned out to be a total bait-and-switch; what they promised was nothing like the actual role I ended up in.

Michelle Wood67 said:Could someone please clarify once more whether an employer is legally obligated to cover health insurance costs when hiring through a student employment agency?

I believe 🤷
if you could just take a quick look at post number 6 further up the thread, it might help.

and how am I supposed to tell them they owe me that money now?

It says you absolutely have to bring the order confirmation to the appointment—but all I got was an email stating when my appointment was scheduled... so, what's the deal? Am I not supposed to bring some kind of physical confirmation or something?

Well, I don't know, just print it out.

hey,

not sure if this is the right spot for this, but whatever...
asking for a buddy who just got a summons
for a hearing... he filed for disability benefits
and now he's been told when to show up with his paperwork.
look, he’s got all his docs ready and everything... but what he really wants to know is
what's the deal with the board? how many people usually sit on it?
what kind of standard questions do they throw at you, or what's the usual routine...
anyone here actually been through a hearing before?

thanks 👍

Noah Thompson said:Goodness,

I’m not entirely sure if this is quite the right corner of the forum to start a thread, but here goes nothing...
I’m actually asking this on behalf of a close friend of mine who just received an official notice
for a medical review board hearing... he’s already filed his application for Social Security disability benefits
and now he’s been summoned to show up and present all his paperwork.
Now, he’s got all his files and documentation perfectly organized and ready to go, but what he’s really curious about—
is what he should actually expect from the board itself? How many people usually sit on this committee?
What kind of standard questions do they tend to ask, and what’s the general vibe during the process?
Has anyone else here perhaps gone through a similar hearing recently?

Thanks so much! 👍

From my own personal experience, there’s typically just a single doctor presiding over that kind of hearing. They’ll mostly focus their questions on the progression of the illness—how it started, how it's developed, and how things are feeling for him lately. Generally speaking, they lean heavily on those medical records and the documentation provided rather than performing a hands-on physical examination of the person themselves. Once everything is wrapped up, he should receive the official decision at his home address within about three weeks following the evaluation.

Olivia Gomez67 said:There’s usually just one doctor on that board. They basically just grill him about his medical history—how he got sick, how he’s holding up now, all that. Most of the time they just obsess over the lab results and the paperwork he brings in, but nobody actually gives him a physical exam... He’ll get the decision sent straight to his house about three weeks after the evaluation. Speaking from experience...

Thanks a lot 👍 🙂

Olivia Gomez67 said:There’s only ever one doctor on that board. They aren't there to perform a physical exam on you; they just want to walk through the history of the illness—how it started, how things have progressed since then. Basically, their whole focus is on the lab results and the medical records you provide. No one is actually going to examine you personally during the session... You should receive the official decision at your home address within about three weeks of the evaluation. I know this because I’ve been through it myself.

That is spot on. 😉
I went through my evaluation back in June. There was just one female doctor present, and she was incredibly kind. She reviewed all my medical documentation, asked me two or three quick questions, and then I had a couple of questions for her as well 😁 and we wrapped everything up on good terms. 😁
The decision arrives at your house very quickly. In my case, it showed up in just two weeks.

feralridge3 said:That’s exactly how it went. 😉
I actually had an appointment back in June, and the doctor there was just lovely—so incredibly kind. She took her time going through all my medical records, asked me a couple of questions, and then I had a few things I wanted to run by her too, 😁 and we just finished up on such a positive note, really just a pleasant interaction all around. 😁
As for the results, they sent everything right to my house quite quickly; mine arrived in about two weeks flat.

I had a similar experience myself, where the doctor was also wonderful—very easy to talk to and someone who truly listens to what the patient is actually saying... and regarding those comments above, I honestly feel like someone needs to look into that, starting with the site administrator and perhaps even some of the official institutions.

hey, hey everyone... I really need some help here.. okay, so my doctor gave me a referral for some blood work, nothing major or anything, but I totally blanked on it. Like, I completely forgot to go. This was three months ago, and it just popped back into my head today, so I figured I'd just swing by her office and ask her to update the date for me. But here’s the kicker—I have absolutely no clue where that damn referral went. I can't find it anywhere! Does anyone know if I can just walk in and ask her to write me a new one for the exact same thing? Is there like some kind of paper trail or database where they track every single referral issued and why? Or am I just screwed?

one more thing, did you both get your requests approved?

thanks

Noah Thompson said:I have one more question for you both—were your requests actually approved?

Thanks!

As for my own experience, it all happened this past June, though that was actually my third time going through the evaluation process. It’s funny how those things go, isn't it? The first two times around, they actually turned me down, claiming that my treatment plan was still ongoing and therefore wasn't finalized enough for a decision. I just had to be patient and wait for everything to settle, but once I finally completed every single requirement and finished up my medical assessments, they approved my disability benefits without any further delay.

Ashley Fox33 said:hey, hi everyone... I was wondering if anyone could help me out. My doctor gave me a referral for some blood work—nothing major—but I completely blanked on it. It’s been three months now, and I just remembered. I thought about going back to have her update the date, but I can't find the actual referral anywhere. I don't even have a clue where it might be. Does anyone know if she's allowed to just issue a new one for the same thing? Is there some kind of official log tracking issued referrals and why they were given, or...?

Why are you even stressing over this? Just go get a new referral. 😁
Look, the economy might be struggling, but we haven't reached the point where the government is rationing paper.
Honestly, what concerns me more is that you're only just now remembering you needed blood work done three months ago... 😂

Noah Thompson said:Also, one more thing—were both of your claims approved?

In my case, my primary care physician referred me to IBM after I had been on medical leave for six months, simply because the law required it. To be clear, I didn't go in there asking to be transitioned to disability retirement.
Oh, and yes, my claims were approved. 😉 They haven't declared me unfit for work; I am still currently on medical leave undergoing treatment, and I am hopeful that I will eventually be able to return to my position. 🙂

feralridge3 said:My primary care physician actually sent me over to IBM after I’d been on medical leave for six months, mostly because federal regulations require it at that stage. It wasn't really my choice to start looking into disability retirement or anything like that.
Actually, all my requests have been approved, 😉 and they haven't declared me unfit for work just yet; I’m still technically on medical leave while undergoing treatment, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can eventually make it back to my old job. 🙂

My experience followed a very similar path, though in my case, it ultimately resulted in me transitioning into retirement. I would truly love nothing more than to get back into the workforce, but unfortunately, my health just isn't cooperating right now—even though I'm still quite young, which feels a bit unfair, I suppose. For now, I'm just trying to find my footing and adjust to this new reality.

Olivia Gomez67 said:For me, back in June of this year—which was actually my third time applying—they turned me down twice because they said treatment was still ongoing. Once everything was finally wrapped up, though, they approved my disability benefits...

So basically, once you finished all the exams, they cleared you since
your condition hadn't changed? If I'm following you correctly...

thanks

Olivia Gomez67 said:It was the exact same story for me, except I ended up retiring... and honestly, I would love nothing more than to get back to work, but unfortunately, my health won't allow it, even though I'm still quite young. It's a shame... now I'm just trying to adjust to this new reality.

I am truly sorry to hear that. 😢
I certainly hope I don't end up following in your footsteps. 😢
I suspect you might be dealing with some issues regarding your spine.

Noah Thompson said:So, if I'm following you correctly, once you finished all those medical evaluations, they actually approved it since
your condition hadn't changed? If I've got that right,

Thanks

Yes, that's exactly how it went about; after I went through the surgery and completed my rehabilitation, the doctors determined that I was no longer capable of performing my job duties, so they approved my disability benefits.