Hello, my cousin who lives in Fla. has been self-employed the biggest part of his life. He is married but has no children. He is unable to work at this time because of what a doctor first told him was parkinsens which was about 5 to 7 years ago. He has tried to get disabilty but they tell him because he has not payed enough money in he is not elagabile. His illness has progressed now that he needs 24 hr. a day help. His most recent visit to a doctor states that he does not belive he has parkinsens but that it is something else, and needs an MRI and more study to find out what has happened to him (possibily a wreck he was in and damage his brian). They have no insurance to pay for this. His wife works but it takes all she makes to get by. Could this be true that he can't get disabilty because he has not payed enough money in? Also is there anything out there for him. He lives in Fla. and I would so like to help him get some medical and finacial help. Thank You, Tennessee Cousin

While he may not qualify for public assistance because of the insufficient payroll taxes, there are circumstances where a person can buy his way in. You can read more about it at: http://questions.medicare.gov/cgi-bin/medicare.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=10&p_created=993576517&p_sid=b6UcgPyh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX 3Jvd19jbnQ9MjYmcF9jYXRfbHZsMT0mcF9jYXRfbHZsMj0mcF9 wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1xdWFsaWZ5&p_li=