Can I Get Disability Benefits for Hashimoto's Disease?

Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is a common type of thyroid disorder known as hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism means your thyroid gland isn’t producing enough of the hormones needed to control your metabolism, including heart rate and how quickly your body converts food to energy. Hashimoto’s disease is usually easily controlled with the right medications, but when left untreated (or improperly treated), it can result in complications that can damage key organs, jeopardize your health, and make it hard to work.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) can award disability benefits to people with Hashimoto’s disease who are able to show that symptoms from the disorder cause functional limitations that keep them from working full-time for at least one year. Before you apply for benefits, it’s important to know what evidence the SSA needs in order to conclude that your Hashimoto’s disease is considered a disability.

Is Hashimoto's a Disability?

The SSA can find you disabled due to Hashimoto’s disease if you have medical evidence showing that you’re unable to earn at or above the level of substantial gainful activity for twelve months or longer.

Because Hashimoto’s is often properly managed with hormone replacements such as levothyroxine that restore your metabolism, you’ll likely be able to continue working if you respond well to these medications. (And if you can work, you can’t get Social Security disability benefits.)

But Hashimoto’s disease can have side effects and complications that can be disabling. If your Hashimoto’s is severe enough to meet the requirements of a Blue Book listing or makes it impossible for you to do any kind of work, you might qualify for disability benefits.

When Does Hashimoto’s Qualify for Disability?

Social Security maintains a list of health conditions (called the Blue Book) that the agency considers serious enough to be automatically disabling, provided you have evidence that matches the medical requirements of the listing. Hashimoto’s disease and other thyroid conditions are endocrine disorders, meaning they fall under Section 9.00 of the Blue Book.

Even if your Hashimoto’s disease doesn’t quite meet the listing criteria, you might still be able to qualify for disability if you can show that you’re unable to engage in any full-time employment. Getting disability this way is known as a “medical-vocational allowance.”

How to Meet a Listing With Hashimoto’s Disease

Social Security doesn’t have one single listing for Hashimoto’s. Because thyroid disorders can cause a variety of complications in other parts of your body, the agency instead evaluates Hashimoto’s disease according to how the condition has affected specific body systems. For example, Hashimoto’s can affect the following organs and processes:

• the sympathetic nervous system (which can cause peripheral neuropathy)
• blood pressure and heart rate (which can cause irregular heartbeat, other heart conditions, and strokes),
• metabolism (which is evaluated under digestive disorders), and
• mental health disorders (like anxiety or depression).

In order to meet a listing for Hashimoto’s disease, you’ll need to have medical evidence that meets the listing for the damage caused by the disease. That can include nerve conduction studies for peripheral neuropathy, exercise stress tests for cardiovascular damage, use of a catheter or significant weight loss for digestive problems, and cognitive disarray for mental conditions, among others.

Hashimoto’s Disease and Your Residual Functional Capacity

If you don’t meet the requirements of a listing, Social Security will then review your medical records for evidence of functional limitations to include in your residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a measure of the most you can do, physically and mentally, in a work environment, despite your Hashimoto’s disease.

For example, if you have Hashimoto’s that doesn’t respond well to treatment, you may experience fatigue or weakness that prevents you from being able to stand on your feet all day. In that case, your RFC may include a limitation to sedentary (sit-down) work, especially if you have multiple serious medical conditions. Or, you may experience “brain fog” that can keep you from doing skilled jobs requiring you to perform complex mental tasks.

People who are younger than 50 will need to show that they can’t perform any sit-down, unskilled jobs in order to qualify for disability benefits. This can be challenging based on Hashimoto’s disease alone, so make sure that all your medical issues—even those unrelated to Hashimoto’s—are documented in your medical records. People 50 years of age and older have a better chance of getting disability thanks to a special set of rules known as “the grid.” The grid takes into consideration your RFC and additional factors such as your education and transferable skills from past jobs to see whether you can shift to another line of work.

Can I Get a VA Disability Rating for Hashimoto’s?

Veterans who have a service-connected thyroid disorder can qualify for a VA disability rating. Under the Schedule for Rating Disabilities diagnostic code 7903 for hypothyroidism, veterans with Hashimoto’s can get a VA rating of 30% for six months following the initial diagnosis. After six months have passed, the VA will then re-evaluate the rating based on any residual effects using the diagnostic code for the appropriate body system.

For veterans whose Hashimoto’s disease had associated myxedema (a severe complication of chronic hypothyroidism involving bradycardia, hypothermia, and mental confusion that’s considered a medical emergency), the VA will assign a 100% rating for six months following stabilization of the medical emergency. Then, the VA will rate any residual effects using the proper diagnostic code.

Disability Benefit Amounts

Social Security doesn't award benefits based on the type of medical condition you have, so it won’t matter if you qualify for disability due to Hashimoto’s or another disorder. Rather, the amount you'll receive if you're approved depends on whether you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI eligibility is based on your work history, while SSI is needs-based and subject to certain income and resource limits.

VA disability compensation is calculated using a combination of your disability percentage rating and your living situation. The higher your rating is, the more you’ll receive in monthly benefits, and your compensation will also increase based on the number of dependents you care for. For more information about these programs, read our article on SSDI and SSI monthly check amounts or review the current VA disability compensation tables.

How to Apply for Disability Benefits

Applying for Social Security or VA benefits isn’t terribly difficult, but it does require a lot of information—including personal, employment, and medical information.

To get your Social Security application started, you can call 800-772-1213 (TTY: 800-325-0778) 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative. Or, contact your local Social Security office and make an appointment to apply in person. You also have the option to apply online, where you can complete the application at your own pace. If you need help, you may want to follow our step-by-step guide to applying for SSDI or SSI.

Applications for VA benefits work in a similar way. You'll need to complete Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, which you can do online or by bringing a hard copy to your local VA office. (Learn more in our dedicated article on filing for VA benefits.)

What If My Application Is Denied?

Getting disability benefits for Hashimoto’s can be a challenge. Many people are denied on their first try because they don’t have sufficient medical documentation to support a finding of disability. However, you can appeal the denial—preferably with help from an experienced attorney or advocate. Your lawyer can help you gather medical evidence, handle communications with Social Security, and represent you at a disability hearing.