Social Security Disability Conditions – Immune System
HIV
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 HIV infection, arthritis, vasculitis, connective tissue disease, and Sjogren’s syndrome.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
Infects an estimated 1 million Americans. Infection usually occurs as a result of sexual contact with an infected person, blood contact, or transmission during pregnancy from mother to child.
Symptoms often appear as minor as a fever, rash, or headache, or muscle and joint pain, so many people infected with HIV are unaware that they are infected. This underscores the importance of HIV screenings for people who are at risk.
Because HIV can affect your ability to maintain gainful employment, the Social Security Administration recognizes HIV infection as a qualifying condition for SSD.
If you meet the general qualifications for SSD eligibility and have been diagnosed with HIV infection that 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.
For further details about evaluation of HIV infection 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.
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Social Security Disability Conditions