Disability and Collections

Hi,

Please help me if you can. I have read other comments and there is much useful information, but I seem to have a seperate problem, which has to do with collection agencies and disability.

Firstly, i'm doing this on behalf of my partner who has a chronic illness, permanent disability. When he last went to school, he applied for OSAP with a Permanent Disability, and was approved, which means he could take a reduced course load and still get full funding. He wrote his exams in the disability office, etc. It appears to me that one would have to meet the same disability requirements now as then! He's been really sick for about 2 years.

His loans were at the NSLSC, and in our admitted neglect, they were sent to collections. We since learned that he should have applied for Medical Loan Forgiveness and are told that he is still eligable. The NSLSC sent us the forms, but say they cannot recall the loans because the goverment paid them.

There are two collection agencies. The first one actually called our neighbour and asked them to give us a message! When I complained, though, they took the loan temporarily out of collections while we go through the Disability Application process, which they have not denied we are eligable/entitled to at least try.

The other agency - I'm afraid even to say the name - has told us only people who can absolutely NEVER work again are eligable, and attempted twice to deny info and forms. They said you basically need to be in a coma or totally brain damaged. They said you have to be living on government disability benefits - which is funny, because you would have had to work a long time to contribute enough to CPP, though my partner was always a student and has almost never been able to work since he has been really ill since he was about 18.

They seem very versed in what to say, they lectured me about taxpayers money (we are taxpayers too), and implied that we'd found some doctor that would make stuff up (two doctors, no less, and the hospital, and the school) and told him to "prepare himself for the comeback" if he's approved, whatever that means. They said they'd want to talk to the doctor. They told us to submit the forms to them, and they'd forward them on.

I wonder how many people they've denied info and assistance to, and how many people don't have advocates on their behalf. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with collection agencies and diability claims.

- Is he still eligabile to apply for disability if the loan is in collections?

- Can the loan get returned to the NSLSC or HRDC Canada instead of collections?

- What is the correct application proceedure (do we apply to the NSLSC, to HRDC or to the collection agencies?)

- What is it supposed to mean about being "prepared for the comeback" from the collection agency if he was approved? What recourse do they have - can they appeal or interefere, or contact the doctors etc?

Any and all assistance would be gratefully appreciated and all the best with your loans!

Sincerely,

S

let me start this off by saying i dont deal with nslsc so i am totally unfamiliar with their policies.

in my situation my health problems are post school and well after the 6 month period they want the disability to occur.  i have exhausted my 54 months of interest relief and my loans are supposed to be in collections right now.  due to some letter writing, my loans are in a holding pattern at the bank pending some appeals and some disablility applications.  the bank and the canada student loans people have sent me the necessary forms, i am just waiting for my doc to complete them.  i am also trying to have my original debt reduction in repayment application appealed while i wait for the disability claim to be processed - which will take up to six months.

so i guess the answer would be anything is possible.  he should still be eligible to apply for the disability benefit, though.  make it known that he was unaware of his eligibility for the benefit when you submit his application and be prepared for the 'why didnt you do this sooner' spiel they will likely give you.  do your research and stand your ground.  if you have more questions i can try and answer them, or somone else may be able to provide some answers.  this site is full of information, just sift through some of the forums and see if anything applies in your case. 

if he initially applied for funding with his disability on the books, you could argue with nslsc that they were negligent in informing you of the disability benefit he should be entitled to in repayment.

the medical loan forgiveness is something they dont want you to know about so they will give you the line that its for terminal conditions etc.  HOWEVER anyone who is unable to work for a year or longer due to health problems is eligible to apply as long as they have the neccessary documentation, just as you are entitled to apply for the cpp-disability benefit and any provincial disability assistance.  they will make you jump through hoops i have been told but i'm still trying.

hope that helps. 

gofigure

my application is in the wait and see stage - my doc and i have completed it and it has been sent off.  i have been told it can take up to six months to hear anything back, however.  in the mean time we ( me and the doc) are waiting for the cpp-disability forms and the ontario equivalent to be sent out, and they can also take up to six months to get a response.

if you've read my letter then you know what my medical situation is.  the joy of it is that i felt lousy for almost two years before i was finally diagnosed, having to rule other things out along the way.  i'm on a first name basis with the technicial at the med lab due to all the bloodwork i have gone through every three months.  the medication i am currently on isn't working, i have to go and see the doc later this week and i guess we will try something else.  the biggest obstacle i face is that fibromyalgia isn't universally recognised as a serious illness, but a chronic illness.  whether or not it is considered a disability is not clear, either.  there is no cure.  it also cycles, so there are times i feel pretty good and other times i can barely get out of bed etc. 

have you made any headway with your partner's medical loan forgivenss application ?  keep us posted, okay ?