{"id":352929,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:35","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/disability-insurance-and-obamacare.html"},"modified":"2025-11-04T15:52:00","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T20:52:00","slug":"disability-insurance-and-obamacare","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/disability-insurance-and-obamacare.html","title":{"rendered":"Disability Benefits and the Affordable Care Act"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Disability Benefits and the Affordable Care Act<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/ty-mcduffey-j-d\/\">Ty McDuffey, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/katrina-wilson-esq\/\">Katrina Wilson, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            November 04, 2025\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p data-block-id=\"d284efef-af33-4234-b378-702988e93186\" data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">The Affordable Care Act was a major law that changed the health care system and disability rights. It created new protections for people with disabilities and pre-existing conditions. These protections affect disability benefits and public health insurance.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever wondered how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affects disability insurance?<\/p>\n<p>Before we dive in, let&#8217;s clarify two big terms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The\u00a0Affordable Care Act:<\/strong> Its main goal is to make health insurance coverage and health care coverage more affordable. You may have heard some people also use the more politicized term &#8220;Obamacare&#8221; to refer to the ACA.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><b>Disability Insurance Benefits<\/b>: Think of this as your backup plan. If you&#8217;re hurt or too sick to work, this kicks in to help you out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Understanding your rights and insurance can be complicated. A <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/disability\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">disability law attorney<\/a> can answer your questions, including when you believe a health care provider or insurance company might have violated the law.<\/p>\n<h2>Disability Insurance With Pre-Existing Conditions<\/h2>\n<p>Before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/healthcare\/patient-rights\/obamacare-basics-understanding-the-affordable-care-act.html\">Affordable Care Act<\/a>, insurance companies could deny or charge more to claimants who had health problems before getting insurance. These are called pre-existing conditions. However, the ACA changed that for health insurance plans.<\/p>\n<p>While the ACA mainly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/PLAW-111publ148\/pdf\/PLAW-111publ148.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">talks about health care<\/a>, it&#8217;s important to understand its effects on disability insurance, too.<\/p>\n<h2>Short-Term Disability<\/h2>\n<p>Short-term disability is like a mini safety net for a brief period of time. Disability benefits can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/disability.html\">help after an accident<\/a>. Imagine you broke your leg and can&#8217;t go to work for a few weeks or months. That&#8217;s where short-term disability comes in.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s how short-term disability works:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Duration<\/b>: It typically lasts from a few weeks to a few months, or possibly up to a year.<\/li>\n<li><b>Payment<\/b>: It will give you a portion of your usual paycheck. It won&#8217;t be the whole amount, but it helps cover bills and other things you need.<\/li>\n<li><b>Start Time<\/b>: It often starts pretty quickly after you can&#8217;t work, usually a week or two after a qualifying illness or injury.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Long-Term Disability<\/h2>\n<p>Imagine instead that\u00a0something more serious happens, such as an illness that takes a long time to heal. That&#8217;s when long-term disability becomes your best friend. It covers people with disabilities for an extended period, sometimes until retirement.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s how long-term disability works:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Duration<\/b>: It can last several years, sometimes even up to when you retire or for the rest of your life.<\/li>\n<li><b>Payment<\/b>: Just like short-term, it gives you part of your usual paycheck. It might be a bit less than short-term, but it&#8217;s meant to help for a longer time.<\/li>\n<li><b>Start Time<\/b>: It usually begins after your short-term disability ends. There might be a waiting period of\u00a0a few months before it kicks in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Paying for Insurance: Premiums, Deductibles, and More<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/consumer\/insurance\/what-is-an-insurance-premium.html\">Premiums<\/a>\u00a0are the monthly price you pay to have insurance. If you stop paying, you might lose the benefits. Even if you don&#8217;t use the insurance that month,\u00a0like not\u00a0having any\u00a0doctor\u00a0visits, you still have to pay the premium to keep your insurance active.<\/p>\n<p>A deductible is the amount you pay for care services before the insurance company starts helping out. Every year, this resets. So, if you have a $500 deductible, you pay the first $500 of your medical bills each year. After that, your insurance helps.<\/p>\n<p>Lower deductibles might sound great because you pay less upfront, but they often come with higher premiums. It&#8217;s like a seesaw; if one side goes down, the other goes up. With the ACA, some people&#8217;s insurance premiums might decrease because they can get tax credits based on their gross income.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a key term you might hear: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/cobra-insurance-rights.html\">COBRA<\/a>. It lets you keep your work health insurance plan for a bit after leaving a job.<\/p>\n<p>While COBRA lets you keep your insurance, you typically have to pay the full premium yourself without the employer&#8217;s contribution. This might make the premium more expensive than when you were employed.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;ve already paid towards your deductible while you were employed, this progress typically stays with you under COBRA. For example, if you paid $300 out of a $500 deductible, you&#8217;d still only have $200 left to pay for that year, even after switching to COBRA.<\/p>\n<h2>Medicaid and Medicare for Disabilities<\/h2>\n<p>The two main federal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/healthcare\/medicare-medicaid.html\">government health programs<\/a> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/healthcare\/medicare-medicaid\/medicaid.html\"><b>Medicaid<\/b><\/a>: Medicaid helps people based on income. After the ACA was passed, even more people qualified because of eligibility changes.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/healthcare\/medicare-medicaid\/medicare.html\"><b>Medicare<\/b><\/a>: This one&#8217;s mainly for seniors, people 65 and older. Here&#8217;s where disability comes in: younger people with certain disabilities can also get Medicare. So, if\u00a0you have a serious disability but\u00a0you&#8217;re not yet\u00a065, Medicare might be an option for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For those with severe disabilities, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/socialsecurity\/disability.html\">Social Security Disability Insurance<\/a> (SSDI) or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/socialsecurity\/disability\/what-is-the-difference-between-ssdi-and-ssi.html\">Supplemental Security Income<\/a> (SSI) can also be beneficial.<\/p>\n<h2>Personal Injury Settlements and Disability Insurance<\/h2>\n<p>When someone gets hurt and receives money as a settlement, it can sometimes affect the financial help they get from the government. There are two main types of disability benefits:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>SSDI<\/b>: If you&#8217;re getting SSDI, the money you get from a personal injury settlement usually won&#8217;t affect your SSDI benefits. SSDI is based on your work history, not your current wealth or income.<\/li>\n<li><b>SSI<\/b>: SSI is different. It helps people who have little money and few possessions. If you receive a personal injury settlement, it might reduce the amount of SSI you receive or\u00a0cause you to lose\u00a0it for a while. This is because the government looks at the money you have when deciding if you qualify for SSI.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you find yourself with medical bills because of your injury and you don&#8217;t have health insurance, you can\u00a0turn to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthcare.gov\/get-coverage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Healthcare.gov<\/a>\u00a0to enroll in a new health insurance program. This website can help you find a health insurance plan that fits your needs.<\/p>\n<p>Below are some other terms that are important when talking about insurance and health care.<\/p>\n<h3>Insurance Policy Exclusions<\/h3>\n<p>An insurance policy\u00a0is a special agreement where the insurance company promises to help pay for certain things, but there are rules in your insurance policy.\u00a0These rules, called insurance policy exclusions, list the losses that the company won&#8217;t pay for.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s important to check your insurance policy for these exclusions so you know what you&#8217;ll be on the hook for. Imagine you got sick and thought your insurance would cover the bill, only to find out it&#8217;s excluded. That would mean you&#8217;d have to pay for it all on your own.<\/p>\n<p>If you know the exclusions from the start, you can make better choices. You might decide to get extra coverage or be more cautious in certain situations.<\/p>\n<h3>Long-Term Care<\/h3>\n<p>You&#8217;ve probably heard stories about grandparents or older family members who live in special homes because they need extra help. This is often called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/healthcare\/patient-rights\/planning-long-term-care.html\">long-term care<\/a>. It&#8217;s not just a quick doctor&#8217;s visit; it&#8217;s care that lasts for a long time, like at a nursing home where nurses and doctors make sure older people are comfortable and well-taken care of.<\/p>\n<p>Now, think about how all of this gets paid for. It sounds expensive, right? That&#8217;s where disability insurance comes in.<\/p>\n<p>Disability insurance is like a safety net. If someone can&#8217;t work because of a sickness or injury, this insurance gives them money to help pay for things, and sometimes, it can even help with the costs of long-term care. Plus, the ACA made it so insurance companies can&#8217;t say\u00a0no\u00a0to someone just because they&#8217;re already sick or have a health condition. This is important for people who might need long-term care because of those health issues.<\/p>\n<h3>Social Security Administration Determinations<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes\u00a0big decisions have to be made about who gets what benefits, especially when it comes to things like disability. Places like the Social Security Administration step in to make these decisions, which are called determinations.<\/p>\n<p>The ACA makes sure people have health insurance options. Disability insurance offers a safety net for those who can&#8217;t work. And the SSA? They&#8217;re the decision-makers, ensuring that the right people get the right help.<\/p>\n<h2>A Lawyer Can Help<\/h2>\n<p>From medical conditions to health benefits, understanding disability insurance can feel like a puzzle. With the right information, it can be a lot clearer. If you need further information,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/disability\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">consult with\u00a0a lawyer<\/a>\u00a0for your specific needs.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M6 21H3C2.46957 21 1.96086 20.7893 1.58579 20.4142C1.21071 20.0391 1 19.5304 1 19V12C1 11.4696 1.21071 10.9609 1.58579 10.5858C1.96086 10.2107 2.46957 10 3 10H6M13 8V4C13 3.20435 12.6839 2.44129 12.1213 1.87868C11.5587 1.31607 10.7956 1 10 1L6 10V21H17.28C17.7623 21.0055 18.2304 20.8364 18.5979 20.524C18.9654 20.2116 19.2077 19.7769 19.28 19.3L20.66 10.3C20.7035 10.0134 20.6842 9.72068 20.6033 9.44225C20.5225 9.16382 20.3821 8.90629 20.1919 8.68751C20.0016 8.46873 19.7661 8.29393 19.5016 8.17522C19.2371 8.0565 18.9499 7.99672 18.66 8H13Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\n                              stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3418\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <span class=\"was-this-helpful__taken-action fl-text-sm-bold\"><\/span>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-container\">\n        <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n            <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form\">\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--positive\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Easy to understand\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                        >Easy to understand<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Solved my problem\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                        >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Out of date\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\"><div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    A lawyer\u2019s advocacy can help ease your stress during the claims process\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Disability insurance providers have lawyers on their side, so hiring your own lawyer may be beneficial\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    An attorney can represent you during disability insurance benefit disputes or appeals\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>A disability lawyer can help protect your benefits. Get dedicated support for your disability insurance claim or dispute.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/disability\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL3905\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                src=\"https://www.findlaw.com/static/c/images\/images\/w_1200,c_limit,dpr_auto\/f_auto,q_auto:eco\/v1745902396\/ability-law\/wp-prod\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1.png?_i=AA\"\n                alt=\"\"\n                loading=\"lazy\"\n            \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-content fl-flex fl-flex-wrap\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-text fl-mb25\">\n            <h4 class=\"fl-no-margin\">Enter your email address to subscribe<\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <form class=\"email-subscription-content-form\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distributionList\" value=\"latl\" \/>\n            <label for=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" class=\"fl-text-sm-bold\">Email (Required)<\/label>\n            <div class=\"email-subscription-content-form-group\">\n                <input id=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" name=\"email\" autocomplete=\"email\"\/>\n                <button type=\"submit\" aria-label=\"Submit\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-success subscribe-success-message fl-text-sm-bold\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"status\">Thank you for subscribing!<\/p>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-error subscribe-error-message fl-text-sm-bold\" role=\"alert\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/p>\n\n            <div id=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha\" class=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha subscribe-recaptcha\"\n                data-sitekey=\"0x4AAAAAAABGBEkK9kEeKxO-\"><\/div>\n        <\/form>\n\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-footer fl-text-sm\">\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/newsletters.findlaw.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more about FindLaw\u2019s newsletters<\/a>, including our terms of use and privacy policy.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"general-list\">\n    <h3>Helpful Links<\/h3>\n    <ul class=\"fl-list fl-no-margin\">\n                                    <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/disability-insurance-and-taxes.html\">\n                        Disability Insurance and Taxes\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/disability-insurance-and-pregnancy.html\">\n                        Disability Insurance and Pregnancy\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/private-disability-insurance-vs-ssdi.html\">\n                        Private Disability Insurance vs. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"popularDirectory\">\n        <div class=\"general-popular-directory \">\n            <div class=\"general-popular-directory-title\">\n                <h3>Attorney Directory<\/h3>\n            <\/div>\n            <ul>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/disability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disability Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/insurance-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Insurance Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/social-security-disability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social Security Disability Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/education-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Education Law Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/discrimination\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Discrimination Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/employment-law-employee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Employment Law Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/government-agencies-programs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Government Agencies and Programs Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was created to make sure all Americans have access to health care, including those with disabilities. Learn about SSI, SSDI, COBRA, and much more at FindLaw.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":352917,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2734],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-352929","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-injury"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352929"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":385705,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352929\/revisions\/385705"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352929"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=352929"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=352929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}