You should find out if you ever had enough credits for insured status, and if so, the date you first became insured and were last insured. Insured status has nothing to do with health insurance despite its name. It is the date you last had enough credits to qualify for SSDI benefits. If you can prove disability on or before the date you were last insured, you would be entitled to benefits. You may have to prove disability at some remote point in the past which is sometimes difficult but not impossible depending on the facts. In addition, as the editor stated, you should look into the SSI program which is another federal disability program where a claimant does not have to have insured status. The claimant, however, must be financially eligible in addition to meeting the disability standard. I do not have enough information to tell you whether you are eligible for the SSI program or other federal disability programs such as Adult Child Disability benefits or Widow/Widower benefits. Each program has their own special rules and requirements. Good luck.
Steve Ciulla, Esq.