Overview
You might qualify for Social Security Disability benefits because of your liver disease.
Keep in mind that Social Security has 2 completely different programs for collecting benefits due to liver disease: SSI and SSDI
What both of these programs have in common though, is that they both use:
- A listing of medical impairments, known as the "BlueBook"
- A five-step process to decide whether they think you're disabled.
The BlueBook - Listing of Impairments
Social Security has their entire BlueBook online at http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm
You can also read their requirements (for liver disease) here on this website.
(It's the same information, just broken down, to (hopefully) make it a little easier to understand.)
I have it broken down into 3 pages:
- Bluebook Section 5.05 covers the medical requirements for chronic liver disease.
BUT.... While reading through Section 5.05, you'll notice that they refer to another section (Section 5.00D) for specific details on some of the conditions.
(So you'll need to know those details too.)
Section 5.00D has 12 parts:
- Bluebook Section 5.00D1 through 5.00D4
- Bluebook Section 5.00D5 through 5.00D12
The 5 step process:
How they make the decision
They use a five-step process to decide if you are disabled.
-
Are you working?
If you are working and your earnings average more than a certain amount each month, they generally will not consider you disabled. The amount changes each year. For the current figure, see the annual Update (Publication No. 05-10003).
If you are not working, or your monthly earnings average the current amount or less, the state agency then looks at your medical condition.
-
Is your medical condition “severe”?
For the state agency to decide that you are disabled, your medical condition must significantly limit your ability to do basic work activities—such as walking, sitting and remembering—for at least one year. If your medical condition is not that severe, the state agency will not consider you disabled.
If your condition is that severe, the state agency goes on to step three.
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Is your medical condition on the List of Impairments (Bluebook)?
The state agency has a List of Impairments that describes medical conditions that are considered so severe that they automatically mean that you are disabled as defined by law.
If your condition (or combination of medical conditions) is not on this list, the state agency looks to see if your condition is as severe as a condition that is on the list. If the severity of your medical condition meets or equals that of a listed impairment, the state agency will decide that you are disabled. If it does not, the state agency goes on to step four.
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Can you do the work you did before?
At this step, the state agency decides if your medical condition prevents you from being able to do the work you did before.
If it does not, the state agency will decide that you are not disabled.
If it does, the state agency goes on to step five.
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Can you do any other type of work?
If you cannot do the work you did in the past, the state agency looks to see if you would be able to do other work. It evaluates your medical condition, your age, education, past work experience and any skills you may have that could be used to do other work.
If you cannot do other work, the state agency will decide that you are disabled. If you can do other work, the state agency will decide that you are not disabled.
NEXT ==>
Overview Section 5.05 Section 5.00D1 - 5.00D4 Section 5.00D5 - 5.00D12
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This page last updated Jan. 11, 2008
The information above was obtained from: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html
For more information on Social Security Disability Benefits: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/
