Social Security Disability for Diabetes (Type I Or Type II)

Diabetes happens when the body doesn't produce enough insulin to process glucose. Diabetes can often be controlled with treatment—a combination of medication and diet—but sometimes diabetes can't be controlled, and then it can cause damage to internal organs and other problems.

If you have serious health problems due to uncontrolled diabetes that keep you from working, you might be eligible for disability benefits.

Symptoms of Adult Diabetes

Symptoms of both diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2 include:

• frequent urination
• unusual thirst and hunger, and
• fatigue.

People with type 2 diabetes also can suffer from tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, frequent infections, and cuts that are slow to heal.

Complications of Adult Diabetes

Hypoglycemia, an abnormally low level of blood glucose, is a common complication of diabetes. Low blood sugar can lead to:

• seizures
• loss of consciousness (fainting), and
• cognitive problems.

(Learn more about getting disability benefits for hypoglycemia).

Hyperglycemia, when your blood sugar stays too high, is another complication. High blood sugar can cause diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by a severe insulin deficiency. It usually requires hospitalization, but the treatment for it may cause other complications, such as cardiac arrhythmias, intestinal necrosis, cerebral edema, or seizures.

Chronic hyperglycemia can also lead to:

• diabetic retinopathy (vision problems)
• peripheral vascular disease (reduced blood flow to your limbs)
• gastroparesis (a type of nerve damage that interferes with digestion)
• diabetic nephropathy (kidney problems)
• cellulitis and other skin infections, and
• stroke.

Can You Qualify for Disability Benefits with Diabetes?

If you have uncontrolled diabetes and your doctor doesn't think you'll be able to work for at least 12 months, you might be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). But to qualify for disability benefits, the damage caused by your diabetes must severely limit what you can do, or you must have complications that fulfill the requirements of one of Social Security's disability listings.

Meeting a Disability Listing for Diabetic Complications

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a listing of impairments (the "Blue Book") that tells you how severe an illness must be to qualify for disability benefits. Unfortunately, diabetes is no longer included as a separate disability listing, so showing you've been diagnosed with diabetes won't automatically get you disability benefits.

But, if you have complications arising from your diabetes that fall under another disability listing, you might get approved for benefits. Following are some listings that people with complications from diabetes (hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia) often suffer from:

• Poorly healing skin and bacterial infections (listing 8.09). If you have ulcerating skin lesions that last for three months (despite treatment) and make it difficult for you to walk, stand from a seated position, or use your hands, you can qualify for benefits under the listing for chronic skin infections.
• Diabetic nephropathy (listing 6.06). If your kidneys are no longer filtering properly and you require daily dialysis, or there is evidence of too much protein or creatine in your plasma, you might be able to qualify for benefits. More about disability for kidney disease.
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathies (listing 11.14). Most people with diabetes have some form of nerve damage in their hands, feet, arms, or legs. But to qualify for benefits under this listing, you have to show that your neuropathy causes a significant disruption of your ability to walk, stand, or use your hands in a skilled way. More on disability for peripheral neuropathy.
• Diabetic retinopathy (listing 2.00). If you have blurred vision or poor visual acuity (20/200 or worse in your better eye), or poor peripheral vision from surgery to correct your central vision, you can qualify for disability benefits under this listing. More about disability for vision loss.
• Cardiovascular problems. Diabetes can lead to coronary artery disease (listing 4.04), chronic heart failure (listing 4.02), peripheral vascular disease (listing 4.12), and an irregular heartbeat (listing 4.05). More about disability for heart problems.
• Amputation of an extremity (listing 1.20). If you've had a foot or lower leg amputated due to nerve damage and poor circulation caused by diabetes, you might be able to get benefits. More about disability for amputation.
• Organ transplant. If you've had a pancreas transplant (listing 5.12) or a kidney transplant (listing 6.04), you will qualify for disability benefits for one year from the date of the transplant.

Because Social Security's disability listings require that these complications be quite severe to qualify for disability, Social Security finds that most people who apply for disability due to diabetes do not meet a listing. The agency then goes on to do an RFC analysis (see below) to see if the applicant can do any type of work.

Does Your Diabetes Limit You From Doing Any Type of Work?

If you don't meet the requirements of a listing, the SSA will assess your residual functional capacity (RFC), to understand how much your functioning is limited. Your RFC is a measurement of the level of activity that you can do despite your illness. A typical RFC for somebody with diabetes may contain exertional limitations for medium work, light work, or sedentary work.

To determine your RFC, the SSA will review your medical history, your adult disability report, and statements from your family and your friends for evidence of any limitations that restrict the types of jobs you can do. Examples include:

• physical limitations on how well you can use your arms and hands or stand and walk, such as peripheral nerve pain in your arms that makes it hard to grasp small objects or sensory neuropathy in your feet that makes it difficult to operate foot controls
• cognitive limitations on how long you can focus on tasks, get along with others, and come to work on a regular basis, such as fluctuations in glucose levels that cause fatigue or mood swings, and
• sensory limitations such as blurred vision from diabetic retinopathy that makes it hard to read warning signs or instructions.

The SSA will then look to see whether your RFC is limiting enough that, given your age, transferable job skills, and education level, you can't be expected to work.

For example, if your visual acuity is 20/70 or worse, your RFC might note that you can't drive or work around hazardous machinery. If your prior jobs all required driving or working around hazardous machinery, and you have little education or skills you could transfer to another job, it's possible that the SSA might find that there is no work you could be expected to do, at least if you're 55 or older. If you're younger, the SSA will likely say there are plenty of unskilled jobs you could learn to do that don't require driving or working around hazardous machinery.

Social Security values the opinions of your regular doctors, especially those who've treated you on a consistent basis for at least several months. Consider asking your doctor to complete a blank RFC form and include it in your medical records. Make sure your doctor fills out the form with details about your functional limitations and why they're supported by medical evidence. (Click on the thumbnail below to see a sample completed RFC form for a patient with complications from diabetes.)

If you have diabetes and another medical condition, such as depression or obesity, Social Security must consider the combined effects of your impairments when considering if your condition is "equal" to a disability listing and when doing your RFC analysis. For more information, see our article on combining multiple impairments for disability.

How Can I Apply for Disability Benefits Based on Diabetes?

An easy way to apply for Social Security disability benefits is to file your claim online at www.ssa.gov/applyfordisability. You can also file a claim over the phone by contacting Social Security at 800-772-1213, but be prepared for long wait times. For more information, please see our article about applying for Social Security disability benefits.