The Social Security Administration's (SSA's) impairment listing manual (called the Blue Book) lists a number of impairments, both physical and mental. These medical conditions will automatically qualify an applicant for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), if the applicant's condition meets the disability requirements in the listing.
Each listing lays out the symptoms, tests, and limitations that an applicant must have to get approved for disability benefits.
The Blue Book includes the following categories of conditions, which will automatically qualify you for disability if you meet the requirements in the listing:
To learn the disability requirements for getting SSDI or SSI disability benefits for many of the above conditions, see our section of articles on Medical Conditions, Impairments, and Problems.
If your disability is listed in Social Security's Listing of Impairments, the first step is to get a diagnosis of the condition from your doctor. But you can get automatic disability approval on a diagnosis alone for only a few conditions, like the following:
These and a few other very serious conditions qualify for expedited approval through Social Security's Compassionate Allowances program.
For all other conditions, Social Security will look past your diagnosis to determine if you meet the requirements of the listing, such as having certain X-ray or test results, for that impairment. The listings often require that your doctor's treatment notes describe your physical limitations and/or cognitive limitations.
If you haven't had the clinical or laboratory tests required in a listing, you can ask your doctor to perform them. Or you can wait for the SSA to pay for a consultative exam for you to attend, but this makes your claim take longer.
It's generally better if the key test results are already in your medical records before you apply. That way, you can check to see if your test results meet the requirements of the listing before you apply for disability.
The listing requirements are often quite complex. Our illness-specific articles simplify the medical criteria laid out in the listings so you can understand whether your condition will qualify for disability.
The Blue Book includes a section covering mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. If you meet the listing criteria for one of these mental impairments, Social Security will consider you disabled.
If you suffer from a mental condition that doesn't meet a listing, you might still qualify for SSDI or SSI disability. But to get your benefits approved, you'll need to show that your impairments are severe enough to prevent you from working at even the simplest, least demanding type of job.
No, an applicant filing for Social Security disability benefits doesn't necessarily have to satisfy the exact listing requirements for a particular illness or condition to be awarded disability benefits based on the condition.
You can get disability benefits if Social Security considers aspects of your condition to equal the criteria in a listing. This is called "equaling a disability listing." (But according to recent government statistics, 46% of all approved disability applications "met" a listing and only 4.5% "equaled" a listing.)
For instance, say the listing you're trying to meet calls for imaging evidence (like an MRI) to prove you have an abnormality in a joint. You haven't had imaging, but you have a gross joint deformity that's readily apparent during the doctor's examination. As long as the doctor records these findings as clinical evidence, you could equal the listing, because your evidence is medically equivalent.
If you have a medically determinable, severe condition that's not the same as any of the listed conditions, Social Security may assess whether your symptoms and limitations equal the severity of a similar condition.
Social Security must consider how all your medical conditions affect your ability to function—even those not considered severe. The combined effect of multiple physical or mental impairments that don't meet a listing individually can be severe enough to equal a listing. So, be sure to tell Social Security about all your medical conditions.
If you don't meet or equal the criteria for a medical listing, you can still qualify for disability benefits if your condition limits your functioning so much that you can't work. Social Security will consider how your condition affects your ability to do routine daily activities and work activities, and will then determine whether there's any kind of job you can safely be expected to do.
First, Social Security determines your residual functional capacity (RFC) by looking at how much you can lift and carry and how long you can walk and stand. Then the agency assigns you an RFC of heavy, medium, light, or sedentary work.
If your RFC doesn't allow you to do any jobs that you're otherwise suited for, you can qualify for benefits "vocationally." In a recent year, half of all approved disability applications were approved vocationally—based on the assessment of applicants' limitations and the jobs available for someone with those limitations.
For more information on qualifying for disability vocationally, see our section on how Social Security decides if your limitations make you disabled.
An applicant doesn't need to have an impairment that's listed in Social Security's Blue Book to be awarded disability benefits. For instance, migraine headaches aren't included in a listing, but if an applicant's migraines are severe enough and are well documented, Social Security might grant disability benefits if the migraines make it impossible for the disability applicant to work a full-time job.
Other common impairments that aren't listed in Social Security's Blue Book, but that can sometimes qualify for SSDI or SSI disability benefits include:
You can get benefits for a condition that doesn't have a listing if it meets Social Security's basic definition of a disability. To meet that definition, your condition must:
While any of the above medical conditions can be qualifying disabilities, some medical conditions are more likely to lead to an approval of benefits than others. We recently surveyed our readers about their experiences in applying for disability benefits and compared their answers to government statistics.
The conditions most likely to get approved are multiple sclerosis and some types of cancers. Respiratory disorders (like COPD) and joint disease (like arthritis in the hip and back) are also high on the list.
For the details, see our article on survey statistics on getting Social Security disability for common medical conditions.
Social Security will decide your disability claim based on the medical evidence in your file. Your treating doctor's opinion is a key part of that evidence.
If you've been seeing a doctor regularly, have a conversation about your limitations. For instance, you might tell your doctor that you have lumbar pain when you stand for an hour, or your back hurts after carrying things. Make sure your doctor includes these issues in your medical records. Your doctor might record your limitations as "not able to lift 30 pounds" or "can stand no longer than one hour."
Ask whether your doctor thinks your limitations rule out full-time work for you. If your doctor agrees, then it's time to apply for disability benefits.
If you haven't been seeing a doctor, now's the time to start. You need to have a lengthy medical record that supports your disability claim, including your:
Once you've had several doctors' appointments, ask if your doctor thinks your limitations are disabling and about your long-term prospects for work. Only then should you apply for disability.
Before you apply for SSDI or SSI disability benefits, make sure you have the names and addresses of:
But applying for benefits involves more than putting contact information in the disability application. The most important step you can take is to make sure that you have enough information in your medical records for Social Security to make a decision on your claim.
When you're ready to apply, see our article on applying for Social Security disability benefits.
You're not required to have a lawyer to apply for Social Security disability benefits. But you're allowed to have someone help you file your application. That help can come from a family member or friend, or you can work with a Social Security lawyer or disability advocate.
Disability attorneys (and non-attorney advocates) know Social Security's rules and procedures. They understand what kind of evidence you'll need to qualify for disability benefits with your medical condition(s) and can help you build a stronger case.
You might not need help from a Social Security lawyer or representative to file your application for SSDI or SSI disability. But you're more likely to win a Social Security appeal if you have help from an attorney.
Learn more about hiring a disability attorney for your SSDI or SSI claim.
It can take many months—even years—for Social Security to approve your SSDI or SSI disability benefits. That's a long time to survive without substantial income.
While there's no federal program designed to tide you over during that long wait for benefits, there are state and federal programs that can help you get by. Most are based on financial need, so your family income and assets can affect your eligibility.
Some of these programs pay cash benefits. Others provide assistance with food, housing, or medical care. Learn more about the financial assistance programs you might qualify for while waiting for Social Security disability.
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