What Medical Conditions Qualify for Social Security Disability or SSI?

The Social Security Administration's impairment listing manual (called the blue book) lists a number of impairments, both physical and mental, that will automatically qualify an individual for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), provided the individual's condition meets, or is equivalent to, the specified criteria for a listing.

What Medical Conditions Are Listed?

The listing manual includes:

• musculoskeletal problems, such as back conditions
• cardiovascular conditions, such as heart failure or coronary artery disease
• senses and speech issues, such as vision and hearing loss
• respiratory illnesses, such as COPD or asthma
• neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy
• mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism, or retardation
• immune system disorders, such as HIV/AIDS, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis
• digestive tract problems, such as liver disease or IBD, and
• kidney disease.

For disability articles on many common conditions, some of which are in the blue book and some of which aren't, see Medical Conditions, Impairments, and Problems.

Does a Medical Condition Have to Match the Blue Book Listing?

An individual filing for Social Security disability benefits does not necessarily have to satisfy the listing requirements for a particular illness or condition (such as rheumatoid arthritis) to be awarded disability benefits based on this condition. You can still be eligible for disability benefits if your condition limits your functioning so much that you can't work. The SSA will consider the effect of your condition on your capacity to perform routine daily activities and work and will then determine whether there is any kind of job you can safely be expected to do. For more information, see our articles on residual functional capacity and medical-vocational allowances.

Does a Medical Condition Have to Be in the Blue Book?

A Social Security disability claimant doesn't even have to have an impairment that is listed in the Social Security disability blue book to be awarded disability benefits. For instance, migraine headaches are not included in the blue book, but if a claimant's migraines are severe enough and are well documented, the SSA may grant disability benefits if they make it impossible for the disability applicant to work. The keys here are that the condition be a medically determinable impairment and that it either reduces your RFC so that you can't do your prior job or it qualifies you for a medical-vocational allowance.