Millions of Americans receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) each month, and many more submit new applications every day. Disability benefit recipients have medical conditions that prevent them from being able to work and perform meaningful, gainful activity.
The Social Security Administration has strict rules about what types of conditions qualify for Social Security disability benefits.
Do you have an impairment and you are wondering whether you might qualify for benefits? Keep reading as we explain what conditions qualify for benefits as well as how you can qualify even if you do not have a specific condition listed in the SSA Blue Book.
Listing Of Impairments For Social Security Disability Benefits
So, what qualifies for disability? The Social Security Administration maintains a list of impairments that are essentially considered automatically disabling.
The list is also sometimes called the “Blue Book.” The book also describes the tests and symptoms that a person must exhibit to meet the requirements for a specific impairment.
Here is the complete list of impairments from the Blue Book that are SSDI and SSI disability qualifications for adults.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
The conditions in this section all affect the musculoskeletal system. They may be spinal related conditions, joint conditions, or even amputations. You do not necessarily need to be born with the condition to qualify for benefits.
Special Senses And Speech
The conditions listed here deal with the senses, particularly vision and hearing. Some examples include blindness and deafness. Total blindness is not necessary to qualify for benefits as other vision impairments might be enough to qualify as well. In addition, severe speech issues or hearing loss can get you qualified under this section.
Respiratory Disorders
Breathing issues can certainly prevent a person from being able to work, and those are covered here. Conditions like COPD, cystic fibrosis, or severe asthma will generally get you qualified under this section. Other respiratory issues like a lung transplant are covered here.
Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system is an extremely important body system, so issues here can lead to full disability. Issues like heart failure, heart transplants, recurrent arrhythmias, or other severe heart diseases will typically get your disability claim approved.
Digestive System
If you are unable to eat normally and have major digestive system issues, then this might be a qualifying condition for Social Security disability insurance. Things like irritable bowel syndrome, short bowel syndrome, liver disease or a liver transplant can get you qualified. Remember that all the conditions in these sections apply to both SSI and SSDI disability determinations.
Genitourinary Disorders
Some people likely have no idea what this section covers. It is a big word, but it deals mainly with your body’s kidneys. Kidney failure, kidney transplants, dialysis, and other major kidney issues are covered here. Since people with severe kidney disease need almost constant care, it is nearly impossible for them to work with this condition.
Hematological Disorders
As the name implies, these conditions relate to blood disorders that one might suffer from. Sickle cell anemia, bone marrow failure, thrombosis, and hemostasis are just a few examples of disorders listed in this section. These disorders disrupt the normal production of blood cells and clotting materials, so it can often be dangerous for these people to attempt to work.
Skin Disorders
This section covers severe skin disorders like dermatitis or Bullous disease. In addition, someone who has suffered severe burns might be able to qualify under this section as well. The claimant must only show that they meet the requirements in the Blue Book for their disabling condition to get approved for benefits.
Endocrine Disorders
When you have a disorder in the endocrine system, one or more hormones in your body becomes out of balance. This may be related to your thyroid, pancreas, pituitary gland, or another part of your endocrine system.
Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems
The most common disorder covered under this section is Down syndrome. It covers different types of Down syndrome, and this section explains the diagnosis and tests that must be performed in order to qualify with the impairments listed here.
Neurological Disorders
This section covers neurological disorders like cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, brain tumors, and other issues that affect the neurological system. Any of these conditions will qualify you for SSDI benefits or SSI benefits. If your child has severe ADHD, he or she might meet a children’s listing for SSI.
Mental Disorders
Remember that SSDI is not limited to physical disorders. Mental disorders can also qualify you. Things like schizophrenia, severe depression, bipolar, autism, and other mental disorders can get your disability application approved. Mental health is getting more focus lately, and people are starting to realize that these disorders are true disabilities.
Cancer
You can qualify for SSDI or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) with nearly any type of cancer, but it must be severe. If easily treatable, then it is not going to be considered a true disability. In most cases, it must have metastasized in order to qualify you for benefits
Immune System Disorders
Disorders of the immune system are often severe enough to qualify you for benefits. If your medical records show a diagnosis of severe rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, HIV or other disorders, then you may be able to qualify for benefits easily.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- There are only a handful of medical conditions that automatically approved such as ALS, organ transplans, very serious types of cancer.
- The SSA publishes a “blue book” of impairments that they deem as qualified disabilities, however, other medical conditions (not listed) may still meet the qualification standard for disability benefits.
- Only about 35% of approved disability applications actually “meet a listing”.
What Does “Meet A Listing” Mean?
Meeting a listing is the easiest way to prove eligibility and get approved for benefits. This means that your impairment matches exactly to the requirements of one of the impairments in the Blue Book.
You must present medical evidence showing that you have had the proper diagnosis, testing, and symptoms that match the listing in the Blue Book.
These listings are automatically assumed to be disabling, so meeting a listing means that you should get approved right away.
Must read articles related to Social Security Disability
- A complete guide on “How to Apply for Disability“.
- Check out the 7 Signs That You Will Be Approved For Disability Benefits.
- Learn more about how to win SSDI appeal.
- You may be entitled to SSDI back payments…read “How to track my disability back pay“.
- Is ADHD a disability that qualifies for SSDI or SSI benefits?
What if my medical condition doesn't "meet a listing"?
If your diagnosis doesn’t “meet a listing“, don’t worry only about 35% of approved disability applications meet a listing.
You can also prove that your condition “equals a listing“. This means that your condition is basically the same as a listing in the book. However, only about 5% of applications are approved this way.
The most common approval method is by “vocationally proving” your disability. This means that your condition or combination of conditions renders you unable to perform a vocation or job of any kind.
You will look to the medical records as well as a vocational expert to conduct a disability evaluation to prove your case meets the Social Security disability criteria. This method accounts for about 50% of Social Security disability approvals.
TIP
Even if your medical condition doesn’t match the SSA list of impairments that qualify for disability, you may still qualify for disability benefits by using either the equals a listing or vocationally proving methods.
How To Apply For Disability Benefits
Many people wonder how to get disability. Unfortunately, the application process for benefits can be confusing and extremely lengthy.
Luckily, we have a complete guide on How to Apply For Disability that will walk you through the process.
As a general guideline, you will need to follow a few steps throughout the application process.
- You must submit your initial application to the SSA and wait for a decision.
- If your application is denied, then you can request a reconsideration.
- If still denied, then you are entitled to have a hearing before a judge. About 30% of cases that were originally denied will be approved at this stage.
- If still not approved, then you are entitled to go before the Appeals Council and even to Federal District court.
- If you file an appeal, make sure that you know how to win your SSI appeal.
From initial application to the hearing stage can take 18-24 months, so this is not a fast process.
Very few cases make it to the Appeals Council or Federal District court. If you end up needing to appeal for a hearing, appeals council, or Federal district court, then you may want to consider enlisting the help of a disability lawyer.
The Bottom Line
There are quite a few conditions on the Listing of Impairments (Part A) that are considered approved disabilitites and when the conditions are met will; in most cases, qualify you for SSDI or SSI benefits.
Even if you do not have a condition that meets one of these listings, you can still qualify by proving that you are unable to work due to your impairment.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are only a handful of conditions that are automatically approved such as ALS, organ transplants, and very serious types of cancer.
For other conditions, you will need to either meet or equal a listing or prove vocationally that you are unable to work due to your condition.
Your impairment must prevent you from performing substantial, gainful activity. This means that you must be unable to work due to your disability.
In addition, the disability must have already lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months.
For SSDI, you must have a sufficient work history and earnings records to qualify under Social Security Disability Insurance. For SSI specifically, you must have limited income and resources to qualify.
From a medical standpoint, eligibility for SSI and SSDI programs is virtually the same.
The SSA generally takes three to four months to decide on your SSDI application, but this can get extended and take eight to twelve months.
Remember that to qualify for SSDI your condition must have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months.
This means you could be dealing with your disability for 15-24 months before you receive any SSDI benefits.
On the other hand, the SSA, on average, takes about three to five months to decide on SSI applications. Plus, if the applicant is age 65 or older they don’t need to be diagnosed with a disability to apply.
Several conditions qualify for Social Security disability benefits.
One of the most commonly approved conditions for Social Security disability benefits is arthritis and other musculoskeletal system disabilities.
Millions of people in the United States suffer from arthritis, which often makes it difficult for them to work.
No, they are two very different programs. The main difference between SSI and SSDI is that SSDI benefits require a work history.
You must have paid Social Security taxes to qualify for SSDI. SSDI payments are typically higher than SSI payments, and there is no requirement that you have a financial need to qualify for SSDI payments.
Another difference is the fact that you can qualify for SSI benefits even if you don’t have a disability, as long as you are 65 or older and have limited income and resources.
You can find a Social Security Administration office near you by using our SSA office locator and searching for your closest location.
