HIV And Social Security

How does 'Social Security' help me if I have HIV?

Social Security is a safety net for people. Today as HIV treatment is so much more improved, the likely hood of getting sick and needing Social Security is much lower. However, some HIV sufferers do find out when their HIV is already far progressed, they may not be able to work or pay their bills. Social Security is a great safety net for people including HIV sufferers in more dire health circumstances and though there is a lot of paperwork involved with Social Security, sometimes Social Security can be a real life saver for people.

How does Social Security determine if I am disabled due to HIV?

There are very strict regulations around qualifying for Social Security. Usually it requires a lot of documentation to prove that you cannot work and you cannot function like how you did before because of your HIV. Social Security is a lot of work. In many serious circumstances, it may be obvious that you need Social Security: you just can't get out of bed. In other cases and for many people with HIV, they may not truly need social security and a lot of agencies now are becoming more strict with the rules around that. And I think that's kind of great because if you can work although you have HIV, then I think you should be working.

Where can I go to get help with social security or other healthcare issues?

The best way to get more information about health insurance, about social security, about disability insurance, or any other programs that may help you in your health, is by, first, going to an AIDS service organization. By associating yourself with an ASO, or AIDS service organization, they can provide you with the information you need to access a variety of other programs.