Medical Eligibility for SSDI or SSI
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The Social Security Administration uses the same disability evaluation process for both SSI and SSDI (Social Security disability). It is a five-step process, and is meant to rule out all but the most severe disabilities. SSI and SSDI do not pay benefit for partial disabilities.
How the SSA Determines Disability
There are several ways to qualify: through a listed impairment, your RFC, or a medical-vocational allowance.
The quickest, and hardest, way to qualify for disability benefits is to meet an official SSA description of an illness or impairment.
If you can come close to meeting a listing, you may be able to prove your condition is medically equivalent in severity in duration to a listed disability.
Your residual functional capacity is what you can do after considering the effect of your impairment.
If you can't do your prior work, the SSA will consider your RFC, age, educational level, and skill set to determine if there is any type of job you can do.
Social Security will not consider you disabled if you are doing a substantial amount of work or if it thinks you could do a substantial amount of work.
The Blue Book covers both physical and mental impairments, and it discusses many serious diseases that can be disabling.
Here are ways to use the listings to equal one.
Medical Conditions That Are Eligible for Disability Benefits
The SSA sees more disability applications for back problems than any other impairment.
Your heart condition must be quite serious for the SSA to agree you can't work.
Cirrhosis of the liver, whether alcohol-related or not, is a very common reason for people to apply for disability benefits.
Medical Evidence Needed for Disability
Have objective evidence from an M.D. or D.O. that is timely, accurate, and adequate.
If your medical record doesn't have what the SSA needs, it may send you to a consulting doctor.
In the weeks before your important, take notes about what you find yourself not able to do.
More Resources
Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability: Getting & Keeping Your Benefits
Written by a former chief medical consultant for the SSA, this book explains the guidelines for medical eligibility and the specific qualification requirements for over 100 medical conditions.
Written by a former chief medical consultant for the SSA, this book explains the guidelines for medical eligibility and the specific qualification requirements for over 100 medical conditions.
Find out if you have worked long enough and recently enough to qualify for Social Security disability insurance.
Find out if your income and assets are low enough to qualify for SSI.