If you are medically disabled, you may be eligible for the Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

What are SSI and SSDI?

Am I/my child eligible to receive these benefits?

I think I/my child may be eligible for SSI/SSDI. How do I apply? 

Things to Remember

Glossary

What are SSI and SSDI?

SSI is a federal income supplement program for low-income people who are aged (65 or older), blind, or disabled. It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. Both adults and children are eligible to receive SSI payments, regardless of their past work experience.

SSDI is a benefit for people who have been in the workforce and are no longer able to work due to a severe medical disability. When a worker's earnings are stopped or reduced for a year or more because of a severe impairment, the worker and eligible family members can receive monthly cash benefits from SSDI. Benefits continue until the individual dies or is able to work again.

Am I/my child eligible to receive these benefits?

Social Security Income (SSI)

In order to receive SSI, you must be aged (65 or older), blind (defined below), or disabled (defined below).

• you have a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in your better eye with best correction; or
• you have a limitation in the field of vision of your better eye, so that the widest diameter of your visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees.

If you have a visual impairment that does not qualify as blindness as defined above, you may still be eligible for SSI benefits on the basis of disability.

-For Social Security disability programs, a child (under age 18) is considered disabled if he or she has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which:

• results in marked and severe functional limitations; and
• can be expected to result in death; or
• has lasted or can be expected to last for at least a year.

• results in the inability to do any substantial gainful activity; and
• can be expected to result in death; or
• has lasted or can be expected to last at least a year.

• have limited income and limited resources
• be a U.S. citizen and a resident of one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands
• not be absent from the country for a full calendar month or more than 30 consecutive days
• apply for any other cash benefits or payments, e.g., pensions, Social Security
• give the Social Security Administration (SSA) permission to contact any financial institution and request financial records about you
• file an application
• and meet certain other requirements.

 More Detailed report of eligibility requirements.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

• 22-24, you must have worked 1.5 years during the three years before you became disabled.
• 24-31, you must have worked during half the time since you turned 21. Example: if you became disabled at 27, you must have worked three of the past six years.
• 31 or older, you must have worked during five of the last 10 years.

• cannot do the work that you did before; and
• cannot adjust to other work due to your medical condition; and
• have been disabled or are expected to remain disabled for at least one year, or if the disability will result in death.

-Only adults (age 18 or over) may be eligible for this benefit, but you will not be excluded if you became disabled before adulthood.

-An adult who has a disability that began before he/she turned 22 may be eligible for a “child’s” benefit if the person’s parent(s):

• receives Social Security retirement or disability benefits; or
• has died and had worked long enough under Social Security.

These benefits continue as long as the individual remains disabled; he/she does not need to have worked in order to get these benefits.

-The government uses a step-by-step process involving five questions to decide whether or not an individual is disabled:

Step 1: Are you working? (If your monthly earnings average more than $980 in 2009, you cannot be considered disabled.) If not, continue to step 2.

Step 2: Is your condition “severe”? (The condition must interfere with basic work-related activities.) If yes, continue to step 3.

Step 3: Is your condition found in the list of disabling conditions ? If your condition is not on the list, the government will decide if it is equally severe or not. If you have a condition on the list or that is deemed equally severe, you are found disabled. If not, continue to step 4.

Step 4: Can you do the work you did previously? If not, continue to step 5.

Step 5: Can you do any other type of work? If not, your claim will be approved. If (after considering your age, education, past work experience, and any transferable skills you have) you are found to be able to do other work, your claim will be denied.

Take a quiz to find out if you may be eligible for Social Security benefits like SSI and SSDI. 

I think I/my child may be eligible for SSI/SSDI. How do I apply? 

Before you apply (You should apply for Social Security benefits as soon as you become disabled, but there are some things to consider before you begin the application process):

• Decide whether you want to hire an attorney or not. Statistically, people that are represented by an attorney are much more likely to win their claim. Attorneys are knowledgeable about how Social Security works, and they will be able to professionally handle your paperwork. Also, attorneys generally only collect payment if you win your case. You may find a local attorney in the Yellow Pages.
• Keep your pay slips and bank statements organized.
• Applicants must provide evidence of their impairment. This includes medical records, an assessment of ability, and a diagnosis/prognosis from a licensed physician, as well as other records. More information about providing evidence of a disability.
• Tell your doctor if you plan to apply for these benefits. Your doctor’s support will help, and the more your doctor knows about your disability, the easier it will be to provide evidence in the application process.
• You may use a disability starter kit in order to gather information for the application process. The starter kit includes facts about applying for Social Security benefits and a list of required documents as well as other useful information.

How to apply:

You can apply online.  The online application takes about 10-30 minutes. You can also call 1-800-772-1213 to make an appointment to file a disability claim at your local Social Security office or to set up an appointment for someone to take your claim over the phone. The disability claim interview lasts about an hour. 

While your case is being reviewed, keep in mind:

• Social Security claims generally take 3-5 months to process and benefits do not begin until 5 full months after the onset of the disability.
• If a person is found “presumptively disabled” (the person seems to be severely disabled) but is not yet approved for SSI/SSDI, they may receive benefits for up to 6 months, starting one month after the onset of the disability. There is no standard provision for being considered "presumptively disabled"; this is designed in order to provide necessary financial needs for people waiting to be considered for SSI/SSDI.
• If you receive payments because you are found presumptively disabled but you are then denied SSI/SSDI, you do not have to repay the government.

• Do not reapply; your new application will be denied. Instead, appeal the case.
• If you disagree with the initial determination, you may appeal the case within 60 days of the decision. The government-issued letter regarding your SSI/SSDI determination will give directions on how to appeal the decision.
• Apply for other health care services (Medicare, Medicaid, HIPAA, COBRA, etc.) Individuals who are eligible for SSI are usually also eligible for Medicaid.

• Each January, if the cost of living has gone up, your benefits will automatically increase.
• Each SSI case is reviewed from time to time to make sure that the individual should still be receiving payments and is receiving enough support.
• Continue to keep your pay slips and bank statements. You may need them when/if your case is reviewed.
• You should report any changes that may affect your SSI/SSDI eligibility as soon as they occur.
• You may attempt to rejoin the workforce under a trial work period. During this period, your earnings will not affect the Social Security benefits you receive. If you are able to work for 9 of the next 60 months, the trial work period ends, and your benefits will stop. For the next 36 months after the trial work period ends, you may still receive benefits for any month that your earnings are not substantial (at least $980/month).  For five years after your benefits stop, you may ask to immediately restart your benefits if you feel that you cannot continue to work because of your disability. You will not have to reapply for these benefits.

• Applying for Social Security benefits can be a tedious and long process. Do not hesitate to ask for help. Call or e-mail the National Marfan Foundation Information Resource Center at 1-800-8-MARFAN ext. 26 or support@marfan.org.
• Talk to friends and family members. Spread your knowledge. What you know about accessing Social Security benefits can help you or a loved one in the future.

Glossary: 

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA): If a person earns a sufficient amount of money per month, they are considered to be engaging in SGA. In 2009, if a person earns $980/month or more, they are able to do SGA and may not be considered disabled. For blind people, the monthly amount is more ($1,640/month for 2009).