There’s a sacred trust between Americans and their mail carriers—that the mail they send will get there and that they’ll get what’s sent them. When he could no longer fulfill that promise, an Arizona postal worker put his trust in a nationwide benefits assistance company called Allsup. Turns out it was…—They say the mail always goes through and, for 22 years, John Schwander made sure it did.
Mr. Schwander, 53, took pride in his work as a mail carrier, never “falling asleep on the job,” making sure his customers got their letters, magazines and packages. Until he actually did start nodding off at work.
“I fell asleep at a traffic signal,” he said. He knew something was wrong, but a series of visits to various doctors didn’t produce an answer. Finally, a sleep specialist determined the cause: severe sleep apnea. He began treatment for the disease while he continued working off and on. Eight months later, in August 2006, he suffered a heart attack.
After undergoing emergency triple-bypass surgery, Mr. Schwander could no longer work. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in January 2007, but would have to wait until after his 59
th birthday to receive a pension. He’d need more than his savings to get by, so he began looking into
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
“I researched various financial options and Social Security was the best one,” he said. He applied for
SSDI benefits at the Social Security Administration (SSA) Web site. Like two-thirds of initial applications, his claim was denied. He expected this. He applied for reconsideration. Denied again. Now what?
“I knew I needed somebody to help me and figured a local lawyer would be the best bet—somebody in or near my neighborhood,” he said. Nevertheless, he continued his habit of using the Internet for research. That’s where he found Allsup.
Since 1984, Belleville, Ill.,-based Allsup has helped more than 120,000 deserving clients receive about $10.3 billion in SSDI and Medicare benefits. Allsup employs more than 580 specialists—many of them with decades of experience in dealing with the SSA and Medicare. About 98 percent of Allsup clients who complete the process are awarded benefits.
“I came to the conclusion it wasn’t necessary to have somebody nearby represent me,” Mr. Schwander said. Since Social Security is a nationwide program, he reasoned, shouldn’t he instead find an advocate with a nationwide record of achievement?
Allsup took Mr. Schwander’s case in August 2007, right after his second denial. In February, Mr. Schwander and a senior Allsup claims representative appeared before an administrative law judge in Phoenix. The hearing was brief, and he got his award. Next step: find a health plan.
“When I knew I was going to get SSDI, the next step for me was to get medical insurance,” Mr. Schwander said. Aware of the many different plans available, he decided to take advantage of Allsup services once more.
Clients like Mr. Schwander can get the same accurate, professional service from Allsup Medicare Advisor (AMA) as they do for SSDI representation. They become eligible for Medicare coverage 24 months after the SSA determines they have a disability. Allsup Medicare Advisor helps by doing the research and finding the best Medicare options for them. Allsup Medicare experts like Eileen Kidd are committed to helping clients make well-informed decisions.
“Allsup was awesome,” Mr. Schwander said. “Eileen called and checked with me a number of times, personally, while they assessed my needs. They sent me a packet with three options. I called and told them which one I wanted to go with.” It was that simple.
“For what Allsup was able to do for me with SSDI and Medicare—for what it cost compared to what I got—this was a smokin’ good deal,” Mr. Schwander said. “I regret not going to Allsup right from the get-go. It might have not taken as long to get my benefits. I didn’t do the medical records as well as they were able to, so I learned a valuable lesson. It’s better to have someone like Allsup do it for you.
“The Medicare assistance was icing on the cake,” Mr. Schwander said. “Why would anybody not do this?” Getting Allsup’s help? “It’s a no brainer.”