SSD and multiple sclerosis

Social Security Disability Insurance is one of the most valuable programs that the Social Security Administration offers for Tennessee residents who cannot maintain substantive gainful employment due to a medical issue or combination of conditions. Many medical problems are not necessarily listed on the registry of known debilitating conditions. However, multiple sclerosis is listed in the Blue Book of predetermined conditions. The primary issue with being approved for multiple sclerosis is the severity and how it impacts the victim’s ability to maintain employment.

SSD qualification

Merely being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis does not automatically make the disabled individual eligible for disability benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance is a qualified program for disabled workers who have a total of 40 work credits with 20 of those credits being earned in the previous 10 years immediately before filing.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that can prevent certain sufferers from working from time to time based on the severity. Eligibility is focused on the ability to work as opposed to the disability itself. Those not qualified for SSDI are then evaluated for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, which is a means-tested program that requires periodical reevaluation for recipients.

Application process

Filing a claim for Social Security Disability begins with the application process, which can be done primarily through the mail with an initial phone call. The Social Security Administration has physical appointments available at Tennessee regional offices, but many individuals can get the process started through a phone appointment. The SSA will also send some paperwork to be filled out describing the nature of the problem and how it impacts the applicant’s ability to work. The agency will then make a decision within a specified amount of time.

It is important for applicants to understand that almost all Social Security disability applicants are denied on the initial application. The denial then triggers the appeals process, which is how most claims for multiple sclerosis and other conditions are approved.