Are You Eligible For Social Security Disability Benefits?
SSA uses a five-step evaluation
process to determine SSDI eligibility
Belleville, Ill. - June 1,
2011 - An aging population and the struggling economy are factors
in the rising number of people applying for Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, but eligibility
requirements remain strict, according to Allsup, the nation's
leading SSDI representation organization.
Millions of working Americans pay for coverage under the
Social Security Disability Insurance program through their payroll
taxes. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), a
20-year-old worker has a 3-in-10 chance of becoming disabled before
reaching retirement age. In 2010, about 3 million people applied
for SSDI benefits.
Enacted into law in July 1956, SSDI is a federally mandated
insurance program overseen by the SSA and is intended to provide
regular monthly income to qualified people who are unable to work
because of a severe disability. SSDI operates separately from the
retirement program and is funded by FICA taxes.
The SSA uses a system known as sequential evaluation to
determine if an individual qualifies for SSDI.
The following is an explanation of the SSA's five-step process to
determine eligibility:
- Determine if an individual is "working (engaging in substantial
gainful activity)," according to the SSA's definition.
- Conclude the disability must be severe enough to significantly restrict a person's ability to perform basic work activities needed to do most jobs. For example:
- Walking, standing, sitting, pushing, pulling, reaching, carrying or handling.
- Seeing, hearing and speaking
- Understanding/carrying out and remembering simple instructions
- Responding appropriately to supervision, co-workers and usual work situations
- Dealing with changes in a routine work setting
- Ask if the disability meets or equals a medical listing. For some specific conditions, the SSA uses medical listings of impairments to determine if they are severe enough to prevent an individual from doing any gainful activity.
- Explore the ability of an individual to perform work he has done in the past despite the disability. If the SSA determines that a person can do his past work, benefits are denied. If the applicant cannot, then the process proceeds to the fifth and final step.
- Review age, education, work experience and physical/mental condition to determine what other work, if any, the person can perform. To determine disability, the SSA enlists medical-vocational rules, which vary according to age.
To get assistance with an application, a disability appeal or for a
free evaluation of SSDI eligibility, contact the
Disability Evaluation Center at (800) 678-3276.