The Process of Applying for SSI for HIV Carriers

If an individual diagnosed as an HIV carrier has not worked long enough to get Social Security or your Social Security benefits are low, he may qualify for Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) benefits if his total income and resources are considered low enough.  If he is awarded SSI benefits he will likely also be eligible to receive food stamps and Medicaid.  Medicaid covers medical bills while the disabled person is in the hospital or receiving outpatient care.  Medicaid may also cover hospice care, a private nurse and prescription drugs used to fight HIV disease and related disabling conditions.

The Application Process

The preliminary SSI application process can begin by submitting an application for benefits on-line, by telephone or in person at a local Social Security office.  The applicant will need a valid social security number, a birth certificate and the birth certificates of any children that may be applying for benefits with him.  He should bring a copy of his most recent W-2 form or other documentation of recent income and financial resources available such as bank statements, unemployment records, rent receipts and his car registration. 

Claiming HIV Related Disabilities

An HIV carrier must provide medical evidence that his is (1) an HIV carrier and (2) that he is disabled due to the one or more of the HIV related impairments included on the Social Security lists for making benefits available to applicants claiming a disability based on medical conditions. 

HIV Related Impairments

• Pulmonary tuberculosis resistant to treatment
• Kaposi’s sarcoma
• Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
• Carcinoma of the cervix
• Herpes Simplex
• Hodgkin’s disease and all lymphomas
• HIV Wasting Syndrome
• Syphilis and Neurosyphilis
• Candidiasis
• Histoplasmosis

Documentation of HIV Symptoms

An application for benefits must include extensive documentation of the existence of HIV and of the HIV related impairments.  The HIV diagnosis must be supported by laboratory tests results and x-rays.  HIV related impairment must be shown by medical evidence of related conditions such as repeated infections, fevers/night sweats, enlarged lymph nodes, generalized weakness, dyspnea on exertion, persistent cough, depression, anorexia and medication side effects.

Getting Legal Help

If you or a member of your family has been diagnosed as an HIV carrier and needs to access Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits it may be helpful to contact a disability law attorney.  An attorney can review the circumstances of the HIV diagnosis and explain the best program applications to submit and the safest methods to provide the necessary confidential medical information for disability determination analysis.