Disability Advocates of Northwest NC

08/28/2026

New Medicaid rules - which include a work requirement - will affect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable North Carolinians in 2027.

Medicaid goes by different names in different states, leaving some unaware of the upcoming changes. And even among those who do know, figuring out who has to comply can be complicated.

07/07/2026

Beginning in 2026, the federal government will require that states limit Medicaid coverage and institute work requirements that will negatively affect individuals with disabilities. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has joined the lawsuit to challenge these new requirements.

Half of states are suing over new Medicaid eligibility requirements that advocates have warned will lead people with disabilities to lose coverage.

05/20/2026

If you deposit $25 or more into an ABLE account before 5/31/26, you are eligible for a $25 bonus! This bonus applies to current ABLE account owners and those opening new accounts. An ABLE account allows individuals who are disabled prior to age 45 to save money over the $2000 resource limit and protects eligibility for government benefits, including SSI, while allowing you to save money above the $2000 resource limit. Go here for more information:

Save $25, Get $25 with ABLEnow through May 31, 2026.

04/08/2026

We have a great need to establish a Client Emergency Fund to assist disabled individuals with basic needs during the time they are awaiting their applications to be approved and their disability benefits to begin. For example, a current client need is for Katie, a 40-year-old woman who has a degenerative, terminal neurological condition, uses a power wheelchair, is currently homeless, and who is awaiting placement in an accessible apartment. She cannot stay in a shelter because they do not have accessible bathrooms. Until her housing situation is settled, she needs assistance to pay for an extended stay hotel so that she is not out on the streets. Please donate to help people like Katie in their time of greatest need. Your gift is fully tax deductible and will go entirely to help vulnerable disabled individuals. https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/client-emergency-fund

02/03/2026

Kathleen Timbinaris joined the team at Disability Advocates in January 2026. Kathleen joins our team with several years of experience as a paralegal in a Social Security Office where she helped clients through the initial application process all the way through the hearing level. As a Case Specialist, Kathleen works closely with clients to guide them through the disability application and decision process with clarity and care. She assists our clients by preparing and filing disability claims, helping ensure that each case is thorough, accurate, and supported with the necessary documentation.

Known for a calm and approachable style, Kathleen is committed to making a complex and often overwhelming process more manageable. She takes pride in advocating for clients’ needs, answering questions with patience, and providing steady support every step of the way. Welcome, Kathleen!

01/08/2026

2025 was a great year! We won benefits for 28 clients, 15 of whom were homeless at the time we started working with them. We won an average monthly benefit for these individuals of $1174, and an average of almost $20,000 in backpay. In total, we won over $500,000 in back benefits for our clients! And, across the board, we exceeded the national average success rate at every stage of the process. These successes are measured not just in dollars, however, but in lives changed, individuals housed and off the streets, financially secure, and covered by health insurance!

12/19/2025

Access to special accounts that allow individuals with disabilities to SAVE MONEY without losing out on government benefits will soon expand dramatically. Beginning in January, individuals with disabilities with an onset date before age 46 will be able to save money in special ABLE accounts. (The previous age limit was 26.) Learn more, or open an account, by clicking the link below.

NC ABLE Account Medicaid “Clawback” modifications: disallow Medicaid to recover funds from NC ABLE accounts unless required by federal law. Read more.