Do you qualify for SSDI benefits for short bowel syndrome? How does Social Security evaluate this digestive system impairment for disability?
Anyone who has short bowel syndrome (SBS) knows how hard it is to live with. Not only are you often weak and tired, you have to deal with frequent heartburn, cramping, and bloating. And, of course, the diarrhea can be so severe it can lead to malnutrition and death if you aren’t properly treated.
When you’re dealing with SBS on an ongoing basis, keeping a regular job is a near impossibility. Because of this, the SSA considers short bowel syndrome to be a disability and offers Social Security disability benefits to those who qualify.
So how do you qualify?
- Meet the criteria. Every condition the SSA officially recognizes is included in the Listings of Impairments, a compendium of debilitating conditions that provides definitions for each one as well as individual requirements that you need to meet to get benefits. If you prove that you meet these criteria, you are automatically eligible for benefits.
- Show equivalency. Can’t quite meet the SSA’s sometimes very specific requirements? No problem. You may still be able to get benefits if you can prove that your condition is of at least equal severity to something that the SSA does recognize. To do this, you’ll need to go through the Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process and prove to the SSA that your medical issue has not allowed you to work for at least 12 months.
Of the two, option one is more simple and straightforward, so that’s the one you should attempt first.
Criteria to Meet to Get SSDI Benefits for Short Bowel Syndrome using Listing 5.07
The SSA’s criteria to get benefits for SBS are pretty simple, but they’re still quite specific. The only people who qualify are those who have developed SBS because they had more than half of their small intestine go through surgical resection and now are dependent on a central venous catheter to provide daily parenteral nutrition.
How can you prove that you suffer from SBS and get Social Security disability benefits? Take medical tests that the SSA has approved for this condition:
Biopsy
- C-Reactive Protein
- Small bowel biopsy
- White blood cell scan
Getting positive results on at least one of these tests isn’t an absolute guarantee that the SSA will approve your claim, but it will go a long way towards helping you get the SSDI benefits you need.
For a free legal consultation, call 800-562-9830
Prove Equivalency to Win SSDI Benefits for Short Bowel Syndrome
Always remember that those who can’t meet the criteria still may be able to get benefits by using the Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process.
With this approach, you must show the Social Security Administration that your impairment is medically equivalent to a listed impairment. By proving your condition is at least equal in severity and duration to the criteria of any listed impairment, SSA can find that your condition limits your functioning too much for you to work.
If you end up having to go this route, it is absolutely vital that you get in touch with a qualified Social Security Disability advocate. A Board Certified SSDI attorney, Marc Whitehead fully understands the process and can expertly represent you through all levels of the disability process to help you attain the benefits you deserve.
If you have questions about your SSD claim, we have answers. Reach out to one of our Social Security disability attorneys at Marc Whitehead & Associates.
Call or text 800-562-9830 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
