Can You claim disability benefits if you have diabetes?
Sometimes. People with diabetes can sometimes get disability benefits, but not always. People with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, do not always qualify for Social Security disability benefits. There must be serious problems with diabetes in order to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
Can I qualify for disability if I have diabetes?
You can qualify for disability benefits regardless of what type of diabetes you have. However, there are other factors that may affect your eligibility, such as whether or not your diabetes is controlled or uncontrolled. Uncontrolled vs. Controlled Diabetes
Can I collect Social Security disability if I have diabetes?
Unfortunately, diabetes is no longer included as a separate disability listing, so showing you have been diagnosed with diabetes won't automatically get you disability benefits. But, if you have complications arising from your diabetes that fall under a disability listing, you might get approved for benefits. If your complications meet the requirements of a listing, you will automatically be approved for disability benefits before Social Security even develops your RFC.
How to apply for disability benefits with diabetes?
Your medical records should:
- Comment on the date of onset and the diagnostic test used to affirmatively diagnose this condition.
- Comment on the treatment modalities (i.e. ...
- Discuss, if applicable, the prior and current episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions. ...
How hard is it to get disability for diabetes?
It's difficult to get disability for controlled diabetes, but most diabetic applicants suffer from related medical problems that limit their ability to work. An individual may qualify for Social Security disability benefits based on uncontrolled diabetes or related symptoms like peripheral neuropathy or poor vision.
What benefits are diabetics entitled to?
Type 2 diabetes can cause severe complications that may make a person eligible for disability benefits. There are two types of benefits: SSDI, which requires a qualifying length of time in work, and SSI, which can support people with disabilities at any age and time in their work career.
Is type 2 diabetes classed as a disability?
Under most laws, diabetes is a protected as a disability. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are protected as disabilities.
What type of diabetes is considered a disability?
The effects of your type 2 diabetes can make you eligible for disability benefits if you're not able to work. Not everyone who has diabetes qualifies. Even if you do, applying for benefits can be a long, complicated process.
What jobs can diabetics not do?
Notably, there are a couple of jobs that diabetics cannot legally hold due to safety concerns. These include commercial airline pilot and long-distance, commercial truck driver and bus driver positions.
Can you get disability for high blood pressure and diabetes?
There is no longer a disability listing for high blood pressure in the SSA's list of impairments that qualifies someone for Social Security disability benefits. Just because the SSA doesn't consider a disability, it doesn't mean that someone with high blood pressure can't qualify for disability.
Can diabetics go back to work?
Yes. An employer may request reasonable documentation where a disability or the need for reasonable accommodation is not known or obvious. But, an employer can only request documentation necessary to establish that the employee has diabetes and to explain why an accommodation is needed.
How does disability determine how much you get a month?
To calculate how much you would receive as your disability benefit, SSA uses the average amount you've earned per month over a period of your adult years, adjusted for inflation. To simplify this formula here, just enter your typical annual income. This income will be adjusted to estimate wage growth over your career.
Is type 2 diabetes a death sentence?
The diagnosis of diabetes is NOT a death sentence. Terrible outcomes, like blindness, amputations and kidney problems, are largely preventable. Thanks to modern medicine, people developing diabetes today have an excellent chance of living long, healthy lives, free from serious complications.
Can I get FMLA for type 2 diabetes?
In addition to qualifying for FMLA leave because of a serious health condition, people with diabetes generally qualify for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state antidiscrimination laws.
Can Type 2 diabetics claim PIP?
The starting entry criteria for PIP are as follows: People aged 16 to 64 years old. UK residents. Have a long term health condition, which may include diabetes, if it causes difficulties with daily living or mobility.
Symptoms and Complications of Adult Diabetes
Symptoms of both diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2 include frequent urination, unusual thirst and hunger, and extreme fatigue. People with type 2...
Qualifying For Disability Benefits With Diabetes
If you have uncontrolled diabetes and you have been prevented from working for at least 12 months, or you expect that you won't be able to work for...
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...
How Limiting Is Your Diabetes?
If you don't meet the requirements of a listing, to determine whether your diabetes limits your functioning so much that you can't work, the SSA wi...
Appealing A Denial of Benefits
Most people who apply for disability based largely on diabetes are denied benefits the first time around and need to file an appeal to get a hearin...
How long does it take to get a disability for diabetes?
If you don’t qualify, your case is kept on file in case you decide to appeal. The process isn’t quick. It can take 3 to 5 months to get a decision, depending on how long it takes ...
What is SSDI check?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). This type provides a monthly check if you can’t work because of health issues. How much you’ll get depends on how much you were making when you were employed.
Can high blood sugar cause diabetes?
That'll depend on how these conditions affect other parts of your body. For example, hyperglycemia (when your blood sugar stays too high) can lead to something called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It's a potentially life-threatening condition where your blood sugar and acid levels are too high. It can also damage your:
Can you get disability if your blood sugar is too low?
At the other extreme, hypoglycemia (when your blood sugar stays too low), can lead to seizures or affect your mental state. If any of these keep you from working like you have, and you can’t hold any other job that fits your age, education, and experience, you may qualify for disability benefits.
Can you control your diabetes?
You aren’t able to control your diabetes. Serious health problems have come up because your diabetes is uncontrolled. These problems need to be severe enough that your doctor thinks they'll last at least a year. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will decide if you qualify for benefits.
Do you have to work to get SSI?
You don’t have to have worked to get SSI benefits . Children who don’t qualify for SSI may still be able to get Medicaid (a government-run health insurance program for folks with low incomes). The social services office in your state or county can give you more information.
What are the complications of diabetes?
Complications from diabetes include: 1 nephropathy (kidney disease) 2 neuropathy (nerve damage) in feet or hands that disrupts your ability to stand, walk, or use your hands 3 retinopathy (eye and vision problems) 4 cellulitis and other skin infections 5 hypertension (high blood pressure) 6 heart disease 7 stroke 8 gastroparesis (a type of nerve damage that interferes with digestion) 9 peripheral arterial disease (reduced blood flow to your limbs), and 10 depression.
What are the symptoms of diabetes type 1 and type 2?
Symptoms of both diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2 include frequent urination, unusual thirst and hunger, and extreme 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 from diabetes include: ...
What does the SSA look for in a person with neuropathy?
The SSA will look for information that shows how well you can use your arms and hands, stand, and walk. For instance, if you have peripheral sensory neuropathy that limits the sensation in your legs or feet, you may have difficulty walking or using foot controls. The SSA is also interested in whether you can focus on tasks, get along with others, and come to work on a regular basis. For instance, if you have poor control over your glucose levels during the day, the SSA might find that you are unable to concentrate for long periods of time. If you suffer from depression or extreme fatigue, your RFC might state that you are unable to perform work on a consistent and regular basis. If you have neuropathy in your legs from your diabetes, you might be unable to stand and walk for long periods of time. If you have blurred vision, your RFC should say that you can't perform jobs in which vision is important.
What happens when the body doesn't produce enough insulin to process glucose?
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. As a person gets older, sometimes diabetes can't be controlled, and then it can cause damage to internal organs and other problems.
Does diabetes qualify for disability?
Unfortunately, diabetes is no longer included as a separate disability listing, so showing you have been diagnosed with diabetes won't automatically get you disability benefits. ...
Can diabetics use their hands?
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.
Can you get disability for amputation of foot?
Amputation of an extremity (Listing 1.05). If you've had a foot amputated due to nerve damage and poor circulation caused by diabetes , you may be able to get benefits if you have other limitations as well. More about disability for amputation.
When is Diabetes Awareness Month?
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and November 14 is World Diabetes Day . In the U.S., more than 100 million adults live with diabetes or prediabetes, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released this July. In 2015, the CDC found that 30.3 million American adults have diabetes, and 84.1 million have prediabetes. Prediabetes typically leads to type 2 diabetes within just a few years.
What is the SSA listing of impairments?
The Listing of Impairments is a collection of conditions that the SSA considers severe enough to prevent a person from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA). Essentially, if your condition is in the Listing of Impairments, you meet the SSA’s requirements to prove that you’re medically disabled. (However, you still need to meet the financial requirements in order to qualify for benefits.)
Can you get disability if you have diabetes?
Uncontrolled diabetes means your blood sugar is outside of a normal or healthy range. Typically, people may develop uncontrolled diabetes if their behaviors are either not helping or are actively harming their condition.
The seriousness of diabetes
Diabetes is a very serious disease that can lead to severe complications. These complications include blindness, kidney failure, and impaired sensations in the hands and feet. Diabetes can also increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. If you are experiencing any symptoms of diabetes, this can impact your ability to work.
What qualifies for social security disability benifits
To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, your condition must be severe enough to prevent you from working for at least twelve months. If you suffer uncontrolled diabetes that results in severe complications from your diabetes diagnosis, you may qualify for benefits.
Listing of Impairments
The Social Security Administration has a Listing of Impairments that tells you how severe a condition must be to qualify for disability benefits. If your condition meets the requirements of a listing, you will automatically be qualified for disability benefits.
Located in California? Contact us today for a free disability evaluation
Applying for Social Security benefits with diabetes can be a complicated process. At the LaPorte Law Firm, we have experience helping those who suffer from diabetes file a claim for benefits. Contact us for a free consultation.
What are the impairments that qualify for diabetes disability?
Impairments that Qualify for Diabetes Disability Benefits. Neuropathy - abnormality of the nervous system that must significantly affect two extremities to the extent that a person experiences a “sustained disturbance” of movement of those extremities, or in walking, or in simply standing.
How to diagnose diabetes?
Diagnosis of Diabetes can be established through three types of blood tests. They are: 1 A fasting plasma glucose test, which is given after an 8-hour fast; 2 An oral glucose tolerance test, which is given after an 8-hour fast followed by the administration of a glucose-containing beverage and an additional 2 hour wait; or 3 A random plasma glucose test, which measures blood glucose without any kind of fast.
Why do diabetics urinate?
A diabetic will often experience unexplained: frequent need to urinate, especially if it is combined with extreme thirst, chronic hunger, especially between meals, fatigue, weight loss, and/or. general feelings of irritability. Many diabetics report dry, itchy skin and trouble with genital itching and fungal infections.
What is the medical term for a person's blood sugar level?
Diabetes - Condition. Diabetes is a medical condition in which a person’s level of glucose, or blood sugar, is elevated. In a properly functioning circulatory system, blood carries glucose to all the cells in the body in order to produce energy, while the pancreas produces insulin to help the body absorb excess glucose.
Can you get disability for diabetes?
Most of the time, applicants will be approved for Social Security disability benefits on the basis of Diabetes only in conjunction with one or more other disabling conditions that have been caused by the disease.
Can you prove disability based on diabetes?
Although total disability based on Diabetes and its related conditions can be difficult to prove compared to other disabling conditions, working closely with your doctors and a qualified Social Security Disability attorney can help to ensure that your Diabetes disability case will have the highest possible chance of success.
Is diabetes mellitus a type of diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is the medical name for both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Pre-Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are elevated, indicating that an individual has a high risk of developing full-fledged Diabetes. Diabetes is a very serious disease which can result in high blood pressure, damage to the eyes, nerve damage, ...
What are the complications of diabetes?
peripheral vascular disease. coronary artery disease. cognitive impairments. chronic hyperglycemia. chronic hypoglycemia. and high blood pressure. among many other complications, are all considered in a disability claim for diabetes.
Why do people with diabetes need insulin?
It can sometimes happen as a result of injury or disease that affects the pancreas. Patients with Type I diabetes need insulin, because their bodies do not produce sufficient insulin.
What happens if you have diabetes in your hands?
Many diabetics suffer from neuropathy (nerve damage), most commonly affecting the hands and feet. Diabetes can also cause severe complications in the eyes, including retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, and blurry vision. Diabetics often have a harder time healing from infection or skin lacerations because of blood sugar levels. Also, if a diabetic patient has neuropathy, they may not notice an injury, especially to the foot, as early as other people might. These factors make diabetic individuals vulnerable to serious infections which can lead to amputation and other severe complications. Those with diabetes are also at an increased risk for kidney disease, ketoacidosis, high blood pressure, and stroke.
What is Type 2 diabetes?
Type II diabetes (also sometimes referred to as “adult-onset diabetes”) usually onsets later in life, and is sometimes treated with oral medications and diet changes instead of insulin injections, depending on the case and severity. Still, many people with Type II diabetes also require insulin injections.
How do you know if you have diabetes?
The primary symptoms of diabetes will vary in each person, however they will remain similar, including a high frequency of urination, blurry vision, excessive thirst, patches of dark skin, always feeling hungry, fatigue or exhaustion, tingling in hands or feet and more.
How to contact Citizens Disability?
Learn more about us and disability benefits like SSDI & SSI or give us a call at (800) 492-3260. Citizens Disability is committed to helping keep people safe from fraud. We will never ask for personal details to start an SSDI application over Facebook or social media.
How many people in the US have diabetes?
At least 100 million adults in the US are living with prediabetes or diabetes today. Diabetes is the leading source of amputations, blindness, heart failure and stroke, according to the Diabetes Research Institute.
How long can you work before you get disability?
In most cases, your health conditions should prevent you from working for at least a year before you become eligible. However, you may get disability insurance earlier if doctors believe diabetes may end your life within a year.
How long does it take to get a Social Security disability?
If Social Security approves your claim, you will typically start receiving payments after five months. If it denies your claim, you can appeal the decision. A Social Security disability attorney can help you present your case to an administrative law judge.
When did the Blue Book stop limiting diabetes?
The Social Security Administration removed diabetes from its Listing of Impairments, known as the Blue Book, in 2011.
Do people with type 2 diabetes make insulin?
The bodies of people with type 2 diabetes make insulin, but they may not make enough, or their cells may not respond to it the way they should.
Is diabetes a long term disability?
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition, so it’s regarded as a long-term disability. With diet and exercise, people with type 2 diabetes can become asymptomatic and no longer need medication. For these people, diabetes is not a long-term disability.
Can I get SSDI if I have diabetes?
To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as someone with diabetes today, you must also have at least one of the following diabetic complications:
Why are children denied diabetes benefits?
Unfortunately, income limits are the top reason why children with type 1 diabetes are denied benefits. The good news is that once your child turns 18, your income no longer counts towards his or her income limit, even if your child still lives at home.
What age can I get SSI?
Children under age 18 are only eligible for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI benefits. SSI is awarded to families with a dire financial need for help. This means that if your family’s monthly income is too high, you will not qualify. The larger your family, the higher your income limits.
What is the Blue Book for SSA?
The SSA maintains its own medical criteria for eligibility online, known colloquially as the Blue Book. There is an entire chapter of the Blue Book dedicated to qualifying for disability benefits with type 1 diabetes. The listing can be found in Section 109 of the Blue Book.
What is Medicaid for low income?
Medicaid is a health care program for people with low. income s .”. Starting Your Application. The first step for any parent hoping to apply for disability benefits is to review the Child Disability Starter Kit online on the SSA’s website.
Can a child with diabetes get disability?
Qualifying for Disability Benefits with Type 1 Diabetes. If your child has type 1 diabetes, your family might be eligible for financial assistance through disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers benefits for people of all ages who are unable to work or participate in typical childhood activities due to an illness.
Who is Barb from Diabetes Advocacy?
Hi there! I am Barb, the creator of the Diabetes Advocacy website. I began this site many years ago after my 2-year-old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Together we have grown and impacted lives around the globe! Read More…
Can you qualify for a child's diabetes insurance?
You may also qualify if you are able to show that your child has complications caused by diabetes.
