The SSA’s Listing of Impairments

The SSA’s Listing of Impairments includes a comprehensive range of physical and mental conditions that could qualify you for benefits. Conditions in the listing are divided into categories such as:

• Musculoskeletal System: These include conditions that affect your muscles, joints, and bones, such as arthritis, back disorders, and fractures.
• Cardiovascular System: Heart conditions, including chronic heart failure, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias.
• Respiratory System: Chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary fibrosis.
• Nervous System: This includes neurological conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.
• Mental Disorders: These include severe mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders.
• Endocrine Disorders: Conditions like diabetes and thyroid diseases can qualify if they are severe enough.
• Cancer: Certain types of cancer may qualify, depending on the stage and whether it is disabling.

How the SSA Evaluates Medical Conditions

To qualify for Social Security Disability, your medical condition must meet certain severity requirements:

• Severe enough to prevent you from working: The SSA evaluates whether the condition limits your ability to perform basic work activities.
• Expected to last 12 months or more, or result in death: The disability must be long-term, not temporary.
• Meets specific criteria: For each listed condition, there are medical criteria (such as test results, symptoms, and treatments) that must be met.

Common Medical Conditions that Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits

While the SSA's Listing of Impairments is extensive, here are some common conditions that often qualify for benefits:

• Cancer: If cancer is diagnosed and is severe enough to prevent work, especially in advanced stages, it may qualify.
• Heart Disease: Severe heart conditions such as coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure can qualify if they prevent work.
• Chronic Respiratory Conditions: Conditions like asthma, COPD, and cystic fibrosis are commonly approved if they cause significant limitations.
• Mental Health Disorders: Severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar disorder often qualify if they limit your ability to function in a work environment.
• Back Problems: Disorders such as severe spinal stenosis or herniated discs can qualify if they prevent the individual from performing physical tasks at work.
• Diabetes: If diabetes is uncontrolled and causes significant complications, such as diabetic neuropathy or retinopathy, it may qualify.

What if My Condition is Not on the List?

If your condition is not listed in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments, you may still qualify for benefits. The SSA will evaluate your residual functional capacity (RFC), which assesses how much work you can still do despite your impairment. If your condition limits you so significantly that you can’t perform basic work tasks, you may still be eligible for benefits under the medical-vocational allowance.