What Conditions Qualify for Disability? Seeking Medical Treatment and Compensation

Updated on January 15, 2022

Do you know what the blue book is?

Well, the Social Security Administration has a list of medical impairments that determine qualification for SSDI.

If you’re interested in knowing what conditions qualify for disability. You’re in the right place.

Keep reading to find out.

Disability Claims & Medical Conditions: What Conditions Qualify for Disability?

In general, the listing of impairment by the SSA is broken down into function and/or bodily system. Separate lists exist for children and adults over 18.

For adults, the conditions that qualify for disability or SSI are:

  1. Immune system disorders. (Such as lupus, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, AIDS/HIV)
  2. Blood disorders. (Such as hemophilia, sickle cell disease, etc.)
  3. Mental disorders. (Such as anxiety, depression, autism, schizophrenia, intellectual ailments)
  4. Digestive tract issues (Such as inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, etc.)
  5. Neurological disorders (Such as cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
  6. Cardiovascular conditions (Such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, etc.)
  7. Respiratory illness. (Such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, etc.)
  8. Musculoskeletal problems (Such as joint disorders, back conditions, bone density issues, etc.)
  9. Speech and senses issues (Such as hearing and vision loss, etc.)

Nonetheless, the list for children is practically identical to the one above. However, there is an additional qualification, called growth impairment, which is not included in the adult list. 

How Do I Get Disability for a Listed Medical Condition?

If you find yourself with a disability that is included on the list of Social Security’s Listing of Impairments, you should begin by contacting your doctor for a diagnosis. 

In most cases, diagnosis can only approve you for certain conditions, not all of them. For instance, organ transplants, terminal cancers, ALS would approve you instantly. 

For other conditions, your next step should be to meet all of the necessary criteria for the pertinent condition. The requirements are not simple and are often complex in their structure. So it is best to visit the official SSA website and discover the criteria for your specific disability.

If you have not had laboratorian or clinical tests done, but they are required for your ailment – ask your doctor to help you perform them. Or if you wish, you can wait for SSA to pay for your consultative exam. But as expected, this will take some time. 

In general, it is better if the results are already present in your medical record before you have applied. As then you can just check if they match the requirement for the listing, and if they do – you can apply for disability right there and then.

What Sort of Medical Evidence Do I Need to Provide?

A social security case will often require you to have access to this medical evidence:

  1. X-rays.
  2. Mental health records.
  3. Blood work.
  4. CAT scans.
  5. MRI’s.
  6. Doctor’s examination.
  7. Treatment reports.

All of the evidence should be recent and must cover the entire period of your disability, starting from the first diagnosis.

Further on, the medical records should present that your ailments are serious enough to prevent you from contributing time to any type of standard work-related performance.

But What If My Medical Condition Is Not on the List?

If your condition is not on the Listing of Impairments, you might still be able to qualify for SSI or SSDI, if other criteria are met. 

For example, the condition should be medically determinable, which means it is subject to clinical and laboratory testing. In other words, the impairment should be supported by medical reports.

Further on, medical impairment should limit your residual functional capacity in some shape or form. And the RFC is established by examining the most demanding activity that you can still partake in despite your medical incapacities.

Based on the activity and your RFC, a claims examiner will determine your level of exertion. And these vary from sedentary to heavy work on your capability to lift and carry weight.

However, RFC also measures non-exertional constraints. Such as the ability to bend or climb, hand mobility, anxiety and depression management, environmental constraints.

Finally, the disability examiner will review your medical history, clinical reports, and RFC to determine if you qualify for any of the disability benefits. 

How Do I Apply for Disability Benefits?

There are four ways to apply for Social Security Disability benefits:

  1. File online at ssa.gov/applyfordisability
  2. Call the SSA office at 800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment
  3. Visit the local SSA office without an appointment.
  4. Use the services of this Social Security lawyer to increase your chances.

However, before you apply – make sure that you have all of the addresses and names of your doctors, clinics, and any other additional visit locations in the past five years. The application involves much more than filling the blanks. 

The first step is to have sufficient medical proof for Social Security to establish your claim. So if you’ve been visiting a doctor regularly, converse with them, determine your limitations, and ask if they think that it rules out full-time work for you.

If the doctor agrees, it is the appropriate time to apply for disability benefits.

Your Life – Your Choice

Now that you know everything that you need to know about applying for disability benefits, you can safely determine what conditions qualify for disability. 

And if it so happens that you fit the blue book, or have a condition that is not on the list but can be examined – you might as well try.

It’s your life and your choice. So whatever you choose to do – will be right for you.

If you’re interested in similar topics, check out some of our other blogs.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.

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