- Details
- Last Updated: 20 November 2015 20 November 2015
Article Index
What if I have no long-term disability insurance of my own or through an employer?
Very often a disabled individual is working at a job without Long-term Disability (LTD) benefits, or has been out of work and is no longer covered by an LTD policy. Under these circumstances, what benefits are available for financial assistance, medical insurance, and other needed help?
The primary alternative to long-term disability insurance for financial and medical insurance is Social Security Disability Benefits. These benefits are provided through the Federal Social Security Administration.
The Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association has written a comprehensive booklet, The Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Disability Book: How to Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits If You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/CFIDS) . The content in the booklet also generally applies if you have fibromyalgia (FM), or even multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS). This article outline some major elements of the Social Security program, but the booklet will provide you with the needed comprehensive information.
Notice about names
The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association would like to clarify the use of the various acronyms for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Chronic Fatigue & Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) on this site. When we generate our own articles on the illness, we will refer to it as ME/CFS, the term now generally used in the United States. When we are reporting on someone else’s report, we will use the term they use. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies, including the CDC, are currently using ME/CFS.
Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association changed its name in July, 2018, to reflect this consensus.