Mental, Immune Disorders added to SSA Disability listings

In 2017, the Social Security Administration added to its qualified disability listings multiple mental and immune disorders. These disorders were previously unrecognized as a standalone qualification for which an individual could receive social security disability benefits.

Mental disorder listings can be found under section 12.00 of the Social Security Administration Blue Book. They are shown in 11 separate categories which are personality and impulse-control, autism spectrum, trauma and stressor related, neurocognitive, eating disorders, schizophrenia spectrum, depressive/bipolar, intellectual, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive, or somatic and related. The categories encompass a wide array of specific mental disorders, which must be medically provable for acceptance as a payable disability. This means that an individual must have been diagnosed by a licensed medical professional and be either open to treatment or already participating.

Immune Disorder listings can be found under section 14.00 of the Social Security Administration Blue Book, in three separate categories. Those include autoimmune, immune deficiency excluding HIV, and HIV infection. Again, these categories encompass a vast array of disorders. To be classified and payable as an immune disorder, these should have medically provable characteristics of ongoing infections, inflammation, and body system malfunctions with varying symptoms. Immune disorders are often extremely debilitating and become increasingly worse as time goes on. Many of them do not yet have a cure.

If you suffer from a condition that may fall under either of these categories, consult with a Social Security disability attorney. He or she will be able to give you an educated opinion as to your chances of qualifying for disability payment benefits.