hormonal disorderMany people leave Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Lincoln with a hormone diagnosis, but without any idea how they are going to afford their medical bills and treat their condition if they cannot continue working. Fortunately, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability payments for patients who suffer from hormonal, glandular, or endocrine disorders.

There are two disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance which is known as SSDI and Supplemental Security Income—commonly referred to as SSI.  SSDI pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are disabled and you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.  SSI is based on financial need.  The Social Security Administration says, “It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income.”

What are the basic qualifications for Social Security disability?

To qualify, you must demonstrate that the symptoms of your impairment prevent you from sustaining full-time competitive employment on a consistent and reliable basis. All qualifying disabilities must be expected to last and keep you out of work for at least 12 months.

To determine if you are medically eligible for disability benefits Social Security has a set of procedures in place. These procedures are published in a handbook known as the “Blue Book,” and it includes a list of various disabling conditions known as “listings.” You can find the listing for endocrinal disorders in Section9:00.

However, most often an applicant’s medical conditions will not precisely meet the Blue Book’s technical requirements to qualify for disability payments. But, there is a second way to qualify. You may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits if you can prove that, due to the limitations of your condition, you unable to perform any job in the national economy, considering your age, education, and past work.

How  does the SSA determine who is eligible for benefits for a hormonal disorder?

First, the SSA must evaluate if you are suffering from a disability caused by an endocrine disorder. These medical conditions often cause one of more glands to produce too much (or too little) of a necessary hormone. This imbalance can cause symptoms and complications throughout the body.

The SSA will use these three criteria to determine if you can get disability benefits:

  • Identifying which hormonal imbalance you have. There are five major glands in the endocrine system: the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and pancreas. Each will have its own listing of disabling symptoms.
  • Determining disability under another bodily system listing. The SSA will evaluate the effects of endocrine disorders as well as the condition itself to gauge your level of impairment. For instance, if your pancreas can no longer produce enough insulin, you may meet the disability criteria for diabetes.
  • Residual functional capacity. If your condition does not qualify for payments based on effects or a listing in another bodily system, you may get benefits based on your residual functional capacity (RFC). This is a measurement of how much work you are able to do and if it is enough to allow you to obtain substantial, gainful employment.

Our disability attorneys are in your corner and will fight for your rights.

Do you want to know everything you can before you walk into the Lincoln Social Security office? Email [email protected] today to arrange a free evaluation of your case and click here for our free informational guide, Why You Should Hire an Attorney to Handle Your Social Security Disability Claim.

Timothy J. Cuddigan (Founder - Retired)
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Omaha Social Security and Veterans Disability Lawyer With Over 40 Years Experience