Enter Your Zip Code to Connect with a Lawyer Serving Your Area
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is hereditary disease that causes excessive, thick mucus in the lungs and pancreas. The mucus in the lungs increases the chances of lung infections and causes breathing difficulties, which cause some young adults with cystic fibrosis to die of pulmonary or heart failure. Symptoms of cystic fibrosis in the lungs include productive coughing, high blood pressure, and pulmonary hypertension.
In addition, excessive mucus in the digestive tract can prevent CF patients from getting proper nutrition from their food, and they also lose minerals through their sweat.
As patients with CF become young adults, many have increased lung infections or difficulties breathing. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes the seriousness of this condition and will automatically approve disability benefits for cystic fibrosis sufferers who have frequent lung infections or poor lung function, as proven on spirometry tests.
To qualify for automatic approval of benefits, you must have one of the following:
There is a way to get disability benefits even if you don’t meet the above requirements because your respiratory infections aren't as frequent as required for automatic disability approval or your lung function has not deteriorated to 2.05 or below.
If your doctor has said that you need to take frequent rest breaks; not lift more than a certain amount of weight; avoid temperature extremes, dust, and fumes; or need to have daily or weekly percussion therapy or nebulization, this limits the types of jobs you can do. The SSA will put all of your restrictions into a residual functional capacity (RFC) assessment and then evaluate whether there is any work you can be expected to do with your limitations. If there isn't, you'll be awarded disability benefits. Learn more about how the SSA decides when you can't work due to doctor's restrictions.
Social Security administers two disability programs: SSDI and SSI. To be eligible for SSDI benefits, you must have worked a certain number of years, depending on your age, and paid into the Social Security system. Learn more about SSDI eligibility.
For SSI benefits, you must not have too much income or assets (and the SSA will count part of your family's income and assets if you live at home). Learn more about SSI eligibility.
In addition, for either SSDI or SSI, you can't earn more than $1,010 or more per month by working.
Updated by: Beth Laurence, J.D.
Social Security Disability Basics
Eligibility for Disability
Filing for Social Security Disability
Medical Conditions Eligible for Disability Benefits
Social Security Denials & Appeals
Disability Benefits Information
Eligibility for Workers' Compensation
Workers' Compensation Benefits Information
Workers Comp Tips & Advice