woman being evaluated for health

What Health Conditions Automatically Qualify for SSDI?

By Michelle Shvarts
Principal Attorney

When you are in pain, unwell, and struggling on a day-to-day basis in addition to the fact that you find yourself unable to work due to your health status, the prospect of having to go through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) application process can seem like too much. Yes, applying for these benefits can be trying at times, but they can also provide critical financial support to those unable to retain substantially gainful employment due to a health condition. The Social Security Administration (SSA) does, however, recognize the fact that some medical conditions should merit faster approval for benefits. Are there any health conditions that automatically qualify for SSDI? Let’s take a look and see.

Health Conditions that Automatically Qualify for SSDI

SSDI benefits are available for those with an illness or injury that limits their income-earning ability. Furthermore, the condition must either be terminal or prevent someone from working for more than a year. There is also a requirement that the applicant for benefits must have worked for a certain number of years based on their current age and paid taxes to earn the requisite number of minimum credits.

The SSDI application process can be somewhat arduous, particularly the element of establishing that a health condition is, in fact, a disabling condition. While you may have heard that some health conditions will allow you to automatically qualify for SSDI, this is simply not the case. There are no conditions that will automatically qualify a person for SSDI benefits. There are, however, certain health conditions that will allow a person’s application to be fast-tracked through the application process. This happens through the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances Program.

The Compassionate Allowances Program provides a quicker way for certain medical conditions that meet the SSA’s standards for disability benefits to be identified and processed. Essentially, certain medical conditions that qualify for this program will allow the applicant to have a reduced wait time. This program is aimed at providing a method of quickly identifying those applications where the applicant’s disease or health condition clearly meets the SSA’s standard for disabilities.

Examples of some conditions that would qualify for the Compassionate Allowance Program include:

  • Autoimmune diseases such as lupus
  • Traumatic brain injuries resulting from stroke or accident
  • Metastasized or untreatable cancers
  • Heart conditions requiring a transplant
  • Malignant multiple sclerosis
  • Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other mental impairments.

It is important to note that new covered disabilities are added yearly by the SSA. The public is encouraged to submit suggestions for rare medical conditions or medical conditions that are currently not recognized by the SSA. Comments are also received on these matters from the Social Security and Disability Determination Service communities and research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as well as experts in the medical and scientific communities.

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The team at Disability Advocates Group is committed to helping our clients successfully navigate the disability benefits application process. Contact us today.

About the Author
Ms. Shvarts is the managing attorney for Disability Advocates Group. She opened Disability Advocates Group to assist individuals who became disabled and unable to work to obtain the benefits they need and deserve.  Ms. Shvarts and the rest of the team at Disability Advocates Group are dedicated to assisting individuals obtain Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.