Fibromyalgia and Social Security Disability and SSI Benefits
The Social Security Administration does not have specific approval criteria set aside in it's "blue book" (a manual for which the appproval criteria is listed for a number of medical impairments) for fibromyalgia. Nonetheless, a patient with fibromyalgia can be approved for social security disability or ssi benefits on the basis of this condition provided that:
- Their condition restricts their functional capacity enough that they are unable to perform the work requirements of their past jobs;
- Their condition restricts their functional capacity to the extent that they are incapable of performing other types of work;
Getting approved for social security disability or ssi benefits can be fairly difficult and the majority of individuals who file on the basis of fibromyalgia and/or other medical conditions are typically denied on their initial application. However, a large percentage of those same individuals who were denied on their initial application are ultimately approved at a disability hearing conducted by a federal administrative law judge. For this reason, obviously, a patient with fibromyalgia (or any other condition) who gets denied for benefits should seriously considering pursuing their claim further by filing the necessary appeals.
For additional information on SSD and SSI benefits: Social Security Disability and SSI questions
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