Social Security Disability Conditions – Immune System Disorders

Lupus

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI or SSD)
Is a payroll-funded program to supplement the income of those unable to work due to disability.

General Qualifications for SSD Eligibility

For you to be eligible for SSD, your disability must last for at least a year or be terminal. You must also be under age 65 to be eligible, as 65 is normally the age of Medicare eligibility.

To be eligible for SSD, you must have accumulated a prescribed number of Social Security credits (normally accumulated through work experience and payment into Social Security) during the 10 years immediately preceding disability.

Requirements vary according to age, and if you suffer disability before age 23 you may be able to draw on your parents’ Social Security credits without affecting your parents’ eligibility for SSD.

Immune System Disorders and SSD

An immune system disorder causing dysfunction in one or more components of your immune system may qualify you for Social Security Disability benefits. Such disorders can include lupus, vasculitis, inflammatory arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and HIV infection.

Lupus erithematosus (lupus, for short)

Refers to various autoimmune disorders causing the human immune system to become hyperactive and attack healthy tissues. Lupus can affect various organs including your heart, lungs, and kidneys. Although symptoms of lupus depend on what organs are affected, common symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, rashes, fever, hair loss, anemia, swelling of the hands and feet, headaches, malaise, and involuntary weight loss.

Because severe lupus can affect your ability to maintain gainful employment, the Social Security Administration recognizes lupus as a qualifying condition for SSD.

If you meet the general qualifications for SSD eligibility and lupus makes it impossible for you to engage in substantial gainful activity, you may qualify for SSD benefits based on your disability.

To be evaluated for disability, you will normally need to submit your medical history, a physical examination report, and a laboratory report confirming your diagnosis. You may be required to submit acceptable imaging or a biopsy report showing you have an immune system disorder.

For further details about evaluation of lupus for disability benefits, click here.

For more information about disability conditions relating to your immune system, click here.

If you’re considering applying for Social Security Disability, click here for a free SSD evaluation. If you’d like more information about Social Security Disability, a bonded, licensed MedicareMall representative will be happy to answer your questions. We’ll also be glad to answer any questions you may have about Medicare or Medigap.

Contact MedicareMall now and we’ll make it our priority to help you make the best-informed decisions possible when it comes to your health or disability.

Social Security Disability Conditions