Applying For Social Security Benefits When You Have Cancer

If you have been diagnosed with a disability that makes you unable to work, you may qualify for financial assistance through the Social Security Administration (SSA). These benefits can help cover the costs of your medical bills, as well as your everyday living expenses. If you were diagnosed with cancer, you could be eligible for Social Security disability benefits.

Types of Disability Benefits

The SSA offers two different types of disability benefits: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

SSDI benefits are based on the amount of money you have paid in taxes through your place of employment and only available if you have some type of work history. To qualify for SSDI benefits, there are a few eligibility factors:

· You must be between 18 and 66 years old

· You must have worked enough to earn a certain amount of “work credits”

· You are not earning more than $1090 per month

If you have worked at typical jobs that pay Social Security taxes throughout your life, you will likely have enough work credits to qualify for disability benefits.

SSI benefits, on the other hand, are not affected by your work history. They are need based and meant for people without much of an employment history. To receive SSI benefits, there are also program-specific qualifications:

· You must not own more than $2,000 in assets, or $3,000 if married

· You are not earning more than $733 per month

Assets include a second home or second car, cash, stocks, bonds, and life insurance. Your primary home and vehicle will NOT count as an asset, nor will personal affects such as a wedding ring.

Medical Qualifications

To determine whether or not you are eligible to receive disability benefits for a disability, the SSA turns to the Blue Book, a comprehensive list of diseases that may prevent someone from being able to work, thereby qualifying them for benefits. Cancer is a serious diagnosis that comes in many forms, some of which

vary in levels of severity. Currently, all forms of cancer listed in the Blue Book are located under Section 13--Cancer, Adult.

Each form of cancer qualifies differently. A diagnosis of esophageal cancer will automatically medically qualify for disability benefits. Breast cancer on the other hand must have spread to distant regions of the chest or return despite treatment.

To be approved for disability benefits, you must provide specific medical evidence to the SSA, including:

· The place of origin of the cancer

· Details about the tumor, including how it formed and grew

· How well you responded to treatment

· Medical notes and reports from any blood work, operations, biopsies, or tests

· A record of any symptoms you have experienced after treatment

· A medical summarization of any hospital stays and all related treatment

Check with your doctor to see if your cancer meets a Blue Book listing.

Compassionate Allowance

The SSA offers a program called “Compassionate Allowances” that speeds up the disability benefits approval process for more severe conditions. Under this program, a process that usually takes weeks or months can take as little as ten days from the date you first file your benefits application. Most severe forms of cancer fall under the Compassionate Allowance program. Your cancer could qualify for a Compassionate Allowance if:

· The cancer has spread beyond its local point of origin, such as to distant organs or regions of the body

· Your cancer is inoperable

· Your cancer has returned despite a full round of initial treatment

Residual Functional Capacity Assessment

If you cannot meet a Blue Book listing or a Compassionate Allowance, you can still qualify for benefits with cancer. The SSA will assess your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC), which shows how much work you can reasonably be expected to do with your condition, if any work at all. To determine this, the SSA will review

your work history, age, and education level to see if there is any job you can perform, or learn, that would enable you to work while having cancer.

For your RFC assessment, you should provide a thorough account of any symptoms and side effects that would make it difficult for you to perform any job. For instance, if you have been diagnosed with retinoblastoma and experience vision loss, but have worked at a computer for most of your life with little education, you will likely be approved for benefits. Another example would include going through chemotherapy and being unable to work due to your nausea and other symptoms of the treatment. You can download the RFC online.

Applying for Benefits

If you are applying for SSDI benefits, you can apply for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration online, or in person at your local office. If you are applying for SSI benefits, you have to apply with your local office. You can call the SSA toll-free at 1-800-772-1213.

posted by Lazarex Cancer Foundation, www.lazarex.org