Employee Life And Health Trust
This is a trust, established by one or more employers, that meets a number of conditions under subsection 144.1 of the Act. The trust’s only purpose is the payment of a designated employee benefit for employees and certain related persons .
Employers can deduct contributions made to the trust, as long as they are for DEBs and meet the conditions in subsection 144.1. Employee contributions are permitted, but are not deductible. However, employee contributions may qualify for the medical expense tax credit, to the extent that they are made to a private health services plan.
The trust can deduct amounts paid to employees or former employees for DEBs and can generally carry non-capital losses back or forward three years. Any amount received from an ELHT must be included in income, unless the amount was received as the payment of a DEB. Payments of DEBs to non-resident employees or former employees will generally not be subject to tax under Part XIII.
For more information on ELHT’s, designated employee benefits and key employees, see section 144.1.
Legislation has been introduced to amend the existing ELHT tax rules.
What Does It Mean To Have A Successful Treatment What Is A Sustained Virologic Response
In an untreated state, the hepatitis C virus infects the cells of the liver and then continuously lives there, making copies of itself that circulate in the bloodstream. Antiviral medications can destroy the ability of the virus to reproduce, so the amount of virus in the bloodstream then decreases. The amount of virus in the blood is measured by aviral load.
Treatment is successful when the viral load drops toundetectablelevels, which means the virus cannot be detected in the bloodstream at all. The viral load becomes undetectable during treatment and remains undetected after treatment has ended. If there is still no detectable virus in the blood 12 weeks after the end of the treatment, the treatment was successful. This is called a Sustained Virologic Response .
A patient who has achieved an SVR is considered to be cured of the hepatitis C virus.
Education And Employment History
Medical records are only a piece of the application process. You also need to provide the SSA with detailed information about any formal education or training you have.
You have to describe all of the jobs youve held over the past 15 years, detailing the type of work you did and what an average day on the job was like.
The SSA uses all of this information to decide whether it thinks youre still able to earn a living by working with your medical condition.
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The Disabling Process Of Applying For Welfare Benefits
Another disabling barrier was the poor levels of knowledge and understanding of the experience of HCV and treatment from those making the assessments. Grace also highlights the apparent lack of knowledge and information around the impact of treatment on impairment effects. The hidden nature of HCV and the lack of information provided to staff making the assessment have serious consequences for Grace and others, especially given the information provided about HCV on the DWP website. Further to this, has usual symptoms is particularly worrying in a treatment context, given that the symptoms can be variable. Similarly Grace feels that the usual aches and pains does not accurately describe her embodied experience of the treatment, the shifting and contingent nature of living with HCV. By stating maybe some people get it really bad Grace implies that her experience is not bad enough. However, at the same time she indicates that she is unable to walk without high doses of pain medication. Her health is therefore described in contradictory terms.
When asserting their entitlement to benefits, other participants made reference to the disabling nature of the medical including the exacerbation of treatment effects and worsening impairment. JB specifically highlighted the lack of knowledge and the dangers of forcing claimants with HCV to travel to assessments which, given their weakened immune system, might put them at risk of infection.
Enroll In A Government Health Plan
If you cant get private health insurance, explore U.S. government health benefits. Besides looking into the Health Insurance Marketplace, if youre 65 or older or have a disability, you might qualify for Medicare, which is a federal health insurance program. Also, your income could qualify you for your states Medicaid program. Veterans can research VA health benefits, too.
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Hepatitis C And Blood Spills
When cleaning and removing blood spills, use standard infection control precautions at all times:
- Cover any cuts or wounds with a waterproof dressing.
- Wear single-use gloves and use paper towel to mop up blood spills.
- Clean the area with warm water and detergent, then rinse and dry.
- Place used gloves and paper towels into a plastic bag, then seal and dispose of them in a rubbish bin.
- Wash your hands in warm, soapy water then dry them thoroughly.
- Put bloodstained tissues, sanitary towels or dressings in a plastic bag before throwing them away.
Contact An Attorney To See If You Qualify For Disability With Hepatitis C
If you are denied SSDI, dont give up. Many qualified applicants are denied the first time they apply. Our Massachusetts SSDI advocates can help. Request your free copy of Boston disability attorney John Keefes book, Unlocking the Mystery: The Essential Guide for Navigating the Social Security Disability Claims Process, or contact Keefe Disability Law at 888-904-6847.
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Managing Injection Site Discomfort
Many vaccine injections may result in soreness, redness, itching, swelling or burning at the injection site for one to 2 days. Paracetamol might be required to ease the discomfort. Sometimes a small, hard lump at the injection site may persist for some weeks or months. This should not be of concern and requires no treatment.
How Does The Social Security Administration Decide If I Qualify For Disability Benefits For Chronic Liver Disease
If you have any type of chronic liver disease, including chronic viral hepatitis, Social Security disability benefits may be available. To determine whether you are disabled by your chronic liver disease, the Social Security Administration first considers whether your liver disease is severe enough to meet or equal a listing at Step 3 of the Sequential Evaluation Process. See Winning Social Security Disability Benefits for Liver Disease by Meeting a Listing. If you meet or equal a listing because of chronic liver disease, you are considered disabled. If your liver disease is not severe enough to equal or meet a listing, the Social Security Administration must assess your residual functional capacity , to determine whether you qualify for benefits at Step 4 and Step 5 of the Sequential Evaluation Process. See Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Liver Disease.
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Chronic Hepatitis B Infection
Chronic HBV infection is diagnosed by the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen in the blood for at least 6 months. The goal of treatment is to suppress HBV replication and thereby prevent progression to cirrhosis and end stage liver disease. Treatment usually includes a combination of interferon injections and oral antiviral agents.
The hepatitis B virus is a highly infectious organism. Worldwide, there are hundreds of millions of carriers. Millions of individuals die yearly from hepatitis B viral infections. HBV may induce a form of liver cancer known as hepatocellular carcinoma that kills many hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year.
In the U.S., probably less than 1% of the population are carriers. This is much lower than in some other parts of the world where the majority of individuals have been infected. High-risk groups for infection are male homosexuals, IV drug users, and individuals working in healthcare who are exposed to blood or blood products.
There is about a 10% chance of infection of a person who suffers an accidental stick with a needle contaminated with the blood of a HBV carrier. Donated blood is routinely screened for hepatitis B to prevent transmission by transfusion, but this doesnt protect health workers exposed to blood in the course of a patients care. In addition to blood, a carrier has virus in semen, saliva, vaginal secretions, sweat, tears, urine, and breast milk.
Symptoms And Treatment Of Hepatitis B And C
Hepatitis C is usually a chronic illness, but some patients are now able to achieve a sustained virological response , which means their HCV viral load has become undetectable. The medication that is effective in suppressing the virus in the majority of patients are ribavirin, telaprevir, boceprevir, and pegylated interferon alpha. The treatment for hepatitis C is hard on the body, and it can cause debilitating side effects, such as overwhelming fatigue, anemia, insomnia, fever, nausea or vomiting, depression, and difficulty with memory or concentration. Treatment is most successful when the disease is diagnosed early and in those that are younger and stronger. People who abuse or have abused alcohol, use drugs, smoke, or are diabetic are usually hit hardest by this disease.
Most people who contract Hepatitis B are able to fight it off, but some infected people have a chronic infection that causes cirrhosis of the liver and inflammation. If untreated, cirrhosis can lead to liver failure and the need for a liver transplant. Symptoms of a hepatitis B infection include jaundice, itching, joint and abdominal pain, fatigue, and nausea.
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Can I Get Disability For Hep C
Hepatitis C is a lethal virus that causes inflammation and fibrosis of the liver tissue. Despite being one of the bodys most resilient and regenerative organs, hep C damage to the liver can be so severe that it can cause total liver failure. The irreversible damage is what makes hepatitis C the #1 cause of liver cancer and liver transplants.
The hepatitis C virus is normally transmitted through blood, needle sharing, and to a lesser extent, saliva, seminal, or vaginal fluid. Depending on whether its chronic or acute, the hep C virus causes nausea, flu-like symptoms, stomach pains and extreme fatigue. Chronic hep C is a long-term ailment, plaguing a person for up to 20-30 years.
Treatment for hepatitis C range from 6-to-12 month medicine regimens, with a combination of interferon shots and ribavirin pills being arguably the most effective. These drugs dont target hep C directly, but enhances the bodys immune system to combat the virus. Current treatment for hepatitis C is on the cutting edge of medicine, with new groundbreaking drugs underway in clinical testing.
Symptoms Of Hepatitis C
It is very important to know that not everyone with hepatitis C has symptoms. The only way to know if you have hepatitis is by talking to your doctor and getting a blood test.
Many people living with hepatitis C feel well and only have symptoms once the disease has progressed and there is serious liver damage.
If you do not have symptoms this does not mean that the virus isnt causing damage.
When first infected, some people may find:
- their urine becomes dark
- their eyes and skin turn yellow
- they experience a minor flu-like illness.
These symptoms may disappear within a few weeks, but this does not necessarily mean that the infection has been cleared.
Over time, symptoms that may develop include:
- tiredness and fatigue
- flu-like symptoms
- pain in the abdomen where the liver is located
- not feeling hungry and indigestion.
Around 30% of people who have been infected may clear the virus from their blood naturally, with no treatment, within 6 months. These people no longer have the hepatitis C virus and are not infectious, but will always have hepatitis C antibodies in their blood. The presence of hepatitis C antibodies shows that someone has been exposed to the virus, but does not offer any immunity against hepatitis C. People can become reinfected after clearing the virus naturally, or after treatment.
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Getting Ssdi For Hepatitis
While the SSA recognizes hepatitis as a disability, certain symptoms and complications must be present in order for a person to qualify. The first requirement is a diagnosis of hepatitis from a qualified medical professional. A diagnosis of liver disease may also be accepted.
Complications including internal bleeding, fluid buildup in the abdomen, low levels of albumin, high levels of bilirubin or an inability of the body to remove toxins due to liver damage will also qualify a person for benefits. Complications including liver failure and cancer are also considered during the application review.
The SSA uses medical records to determine whether a disability exists. For this reason, it is important for disabled individuals to regularly schedule appointments with a licensed medical professional.
Va Disability Ratings For Cancer And Residual Effects
If you are service-connected for an active cancer, VA should automatically assign a 100 percent disability rating. This rating continues for as long as your cancer is active, and then for another six months following the successful completion of a treatment program, such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. Six months after your cancer treatment ends, VA will schedule you for a Compensation & Pension examination to evaluate the current status of your condition. If the examination shows that your cancer is no longer active and is in remission, VA will evaluate the cancer based on its residuals. For example, erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence are common residual symptoms of prostate cancer. If prostate cancer is no longer active, VA will likely reduce the disability rating for that condition and assign new ratings based on the severity of the veterans erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence if present.
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Getting Help From An Attorney
Applying for SSDI benefits can be a confusing process for people who are not familiar with the SSAâs requirements. Living with a disability is difficult enough without the frustrating SSDI application process. Fortunately, attorneys who specialize in SSDI cases are available to help. These legal professionals are knowledgeable about the SSAâs requirements and know how to navigate the application process to ensure that paperwork and medical records are filed in a timely manner. The first step to a less stressful SSDI application process is to consult with an attorney.
Ruth F. Kolb, Esquire has been practicing social security disability law since 2003 handling all levels of representation from initial claims through all stages of appeal.
Complications Of Hepatitis A
Around 10% of people who have had hepatitis A experience a relapse . Most people who have a relapse fully recover.
Hepatitis A does not cause chronic liver disease.
The severity of the disease is more severe in older age groups.
Complications of hepatitis A are rare, but the infection can lead to fulminant hepatitis. This is an acute form of hepatitis that can cause liver failure. The risk of death from fulminant hepatitis increases with age.
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What Causes Hepatitis C Disability
Prior to 1989, physicians knew only that an acute form of hepatitis was occurring after blood transfusions, and that it was not related to hepatitis A or B. In 1989, this virus was isolated and named Hepatitis C.
Today, hepatitis C is generally associated with drug use involving infected needles. However, health care workers may experience needle sticks with infected blood. Getting tattoos and body piercing in a facility that does not have strict cleanliness and hygiene standards can cause blood exposure that can transmit the virus. Unprotected sex can also be responsible for transmission. . In rare cases, mothers can pass the disease to her child at birth.
Often there are no symptoms during the incubation period, which lasts an average of 45 days When symptoms do occur, signs of illness can include mild flu-like symptoms, fatigue, nausea, depression and jaundice that last for two to twelve weeks. Because there are often no symptoms, many people may not realize they are infected.
Hepatitis C testing is done by blood tests to find levels of the HCV antibody, and then verified with additional tests for viral RNA. If you believe you may have been exposed at some point, getting tested is the first step in treatment and eventually ridding yourself of the virus.
Qualifying For Disability Benefits With Hepatitis C
If you have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C and your symptoms are severe, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits if your illness meets the criteria established by Social Security’s Listing of Impairments , or if Social Security finds that because of the disabling effects of your illness there are no jobs you can be expected to do. Also, your impairment must have lasted at least a year, or be expected to last at least a year .
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Joint And Muscle Pain
A condition called arthralgia causes joint pain and is common in people with hepatitis C. Itâs different from arthritis, which causes pain and swelling in joints. But infected people can also get hepatitis C-related arthritis.
Fibromyalgia, which causes body aches and muscle pain, is also common in people with hepatitis C.
Getting Tested For Hepatitis C
Seek medical advice if you have persistent symptoms of hepatitis C or there’s a risk you’re infected, even if you do not have any symptoms.
A blood test can be carried out to see if you have the infection.
GPs, sexual health clinics, genitourinary medicine clinics or drug treatment services all offer testing for hepatitis C.
Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent or limit any damage to your liver, as well as help ensure the infection is not passed on to other people.
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