Does Diabetic Foot Care Come At No Cost
Everyone with diabetes should get a yearly foot examination. The examination of your feet is part of your yearly exam, so you should have it as part of your diabetes treatment, and its free on the NHS. This is due to the increased likelihood of developing major foot disorders, which may lead to amputations.
Social Security Benefits For Diabetes: Checking Your Eligibility
To prove you meet the disability criteria that qualifies you to receive Social Security benefits for diabetes, you must:
If you arent tracking your blood sugar yet at home, you should be. We like the Care Touch glucose monitoring kit, which includes free overnight shipping.
Follow Your Doctors Orders
Left untreated, some of the ailments listed above can lead to death. If you do not follow your doctors treatment plan, benefits may be denied. For example, if your doctor told you to come in for regular follow-up appointments, lose weight, test your insulin level regularly, take medication or insulin shots, get physical therapy, etc., and you are not following through, the disability examiner may conclude that your symptoms are not severe enough to keep you from working.
Dont Miss: Type 2 Diabetes Level Range
You May Like: Does Keto Help With Diabetes
Veterans Disability Compensation For Diabetes Mellitus
The VA reports that diabetes affects nearly 25 percent of VAs patient population. It is also the leading cause of blindness, end-stage renal disease, and amputation for VA patients.
Herbicide exposure can increase veterans chances of having Type 2 diabetes. If your diabetes developed during or after service in Vietnam, diabetes mellitus is presumed to be service-connected. This applies to any Agent Orange exposure that includes military service between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, and including the Republic of Viet Nam, Brown Water Navy Veterans, Thailand military bases, and certain Korean DMZ Veterans.
Otherwise, you must prove your diabetes originated or was aggravated while you were on active military duty this can be a direct service-connection or a secondary service connection.
Depending on the severity of the condition, VA ratings for diabetes mellitus type 2 can range from 100%, 60%, 40%, 20%, or 10% disability and are listed in 38 CFR 4.119, Diagnostic Code 7913.
Effects Of Diabetes On Your Ability To Perform Physical Work
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, and which symptoms you suffer from , your ability to perform physical work may or may not be affected. In order to be eligible for Social security Disability benefits, you must be unable to perform any kind of work which you have ever done in the past, and the SSA must determine that you could not reasonably be trained to do any other kind of work.
In order to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits from diabetes, you will need to have your symptoms thoroughly documented by your doctor. You will also need to show what efforts have been made to address your symptoms. If your doctor has prescribed treatment, you will need to follow the prescription and demonstrate that your symptoms have not improved enough, despite treatment, to allow you to perform any physical work for which you are qualified or could be trained.
If you have suffered an amputation or blindness due to diabetes, it goes without saying that your ability to perform many kinds of physical work has been severely compromised. These types of cases tend to be fairly cut and dried regarding eligibility for Social security Disability benefits.
Recommended Reading: Do I Have To Take Insulin For Type 2 Diabetes
How Long Will I Get Benefits
If youâre approved and start getting a monthly check, your case eventually will be reviewed — everyoneâs is at some point. But if youâre not working and are still seeing a specialist for the same health issues, your benefits should continue. You wonât need a hearing of any kind.
Show Sources
Notes Comments And Feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
Don’t Miss: Pros And Cons Of Omnipod Insulin Pump
Is Diabetes A Disability What The Law Says
Living with any type of diabetes is challenging every single day. For some, the challenges or complications of having diabetes can become a tremendous obstacle to working and earning a consistent and livable income.
As a result, some people with diabetes may be faced with the decision of applying for disability benefits.
In this article, well look at why and how diabetes might qualify for disability benefits, what those benefits are, what the application process is like, and what to do if youre denied after applying.
This article is based on United States laws and regulations. Please contact your local diabetes association for information if you live outside the US.
Does Diabetes Make You Eligible For Social Security Disability Benefits
Nearly 3% of the worlds population suffers from some form if diabetes, which makes it one of the most prevalent diseases. Diabetes results when an individuals endocrine system can no longer regulate the production of insulin and, therefore, process glucose in the blood. There are three types of diabetes: Type 1 Type 2 and gestational diabetes. Here, we will explore how to qualify for disability benefits with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Social Security Administration does not distinguish between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The medical term for both is diabetes mellitus, and we will refer to both types here as simply diabetes. Symptoms of both types of diabetes include unusual thirst and hunger, extreme fatigue, and frequent urination. People who suffer from Type 2 diabetes also often experience tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, cuts that take a long time to heal, and frequent infections.
Unfortunately, a diagnosis of diabetes alone is no longer sufficient to qualify you for disability benefits through either Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income . To be eligible for benefits, your doctor must diagnose you with diabetes mellitus and at least one of the following: neuropathy acidosis and/or diabetic retinopathy.
Need Help?
You May Like: What Does Diabetes Do To Your Heart
How Diabetes Qualifies At A Disability
Like many serious diseases, Diabetes varies in severity from person to person. Many people lead full, active lives and work full time with a Diabetes diagnosis. Others suffer tremendously from the effects of Diabetes. In this blog post, we explain how to tell where your case falls on this wide spectrum.
Requirements of Every Disability The Social Security Administration applies the same definition of disability to every SSD and SSI application. A disability can qualify for benefits when it is a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months , and that prevents the claimant from performing substantial gainful activities.
Diabetes Is Recognized in the Disability Blue Book The SSA publishes a manual in which it lists categories of illnesses and injuries that it recognizes as qualifying disabilities when the impairment meets certain criteria. The Blue Book listing of Diabetes is found under endocrine-related impairments in Part A, Section 9.00.
For either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes to be approved as sufficiently severe to support your SSD benefits claim, your medical records, doctors reports, and other supporting material need to show one of the following findings:
1). Diagnosis of Diabetes mellitus and one of the following conditions:
- A). Diabetic acidosis
Retinopathy:
Medically Qualifying For Benefits With The Blue Book
When evaluating SSD applications the SSA uses the Blue Book. The Blue Book is a master list of all the impairments the SSA deems eligible for disability benefits. If you are applying for SSD under a listing, you need to meet or equal the requirements.
Diabetes can be found in section 8.00Endocrine Disorders
The SSA assesses endocrine disorders by the other body parts affected by the disorder. To be approved for SSD with a Blue Book listing of diabetes, you need to submit medical proof to the SSA that at least one of the following disrupts other body functions:
- Chronic hyperglycemia, constant high glucose levels, causes long-term nerve and blood vessel complications, which can adversely affect your other body systems.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when a severe insulin deficiency causes your glucose and acid levels are too high for your body to function and usually requires hospitalization to reverse. This should happen at least once every two months.
- Hypoglycemia, or episodes of abnormally low blood glucose, which can lead to seizures or loss of consciousness.
- Neuropathy, or when your diabetes significantly affects two extremities and causes long-term disruption in movement, walking, or standing.
- Diabetic Retinopathy occurs when there is severe peripheral vision loss from damage to blood vessels in your eyes.
If you feel your diabetes is so severe that youre unable to work, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you determine if applying for SSD is right for you.
You May Like: Which Is Worse Type 1 Diabetes Or Type 2 Diabetes
Social Security Disability For Diabetes
- Social Security Disability for Diabetes
Is diabetes a disability? Does having diabetes qualify you for disability benefits? Yes, diabetes can be considered a disability, but it does not automatically qualify you for disability benefits. Under the Social Security Administration manual, youll find a section discussing diabetes.
If you meet the disability qualification criteria spelled out in the manual, you could be eligible for social security benefits.
May 17, 2021 By Jeremy Schooley
If you find you can no longer work because of diabetes complications, you may be entitled to long term disability benefits for either type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus.
What you may not realize is what it takes to prove your diabetes has caused you to be disabled. Being diagnosed with diabetes is a start, but that alone is never enough.
As disability lawyers, we represent people across the U.S. in their claims and appeals for Social Security disability, veterans compensation, or long term disability insurance benefits for diabetes. Today we explain how diabetes affects so many different body systems and why this is one key to winning your disability benefits with diabetes mellitus.
Can You Get Disability Benefits For Diabetes
If you are unable to work due to a disability, then you may qualify for federal disability benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income are two types of benefits designed to provide monthly income to individuals who are unable to work because of their disability. Depending on a number of factors, you may qualify for one or both of these programs.
People with diabetes may qualify for SSDI and/or SSI benefits. Typically, an applicant will not be approved for disability benefits for diabetes alone. However, if they have developed one or more medical conditions related to their diabetes, then they may qualify for Social Security benefits if their conditions are sufficiently severe.
Being approved for Social Security disability benefits can be challenging, whether you have diabetes or a related condition. A skilled New Jersey can work with you to help you get the benefits that you need.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Least Expensive Long Acting Insulin
For Patients Over The Age Of 18
When looking specifically at qualifying based on a diabetes diagnosis, you would need an official diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes, along with at least one of the following conditions:
- Neuropathy is the damage sustained to the nerve-endings in your hands, arms, feet, and toes. Neuropathy results in a loss of feeling and sometimes loss of function in those extremities. Severe neuropathy can result in the need for an amputation. To use neuropathy as a qualifying factor for disability status, it must significantly affect two extremities to the extent that your ability to walk or stand is impacted.
- Acidosis is when there is an abnormal increase in the amount of acid in your bodily fluid . To use this acidosis as a qualifying factor for disability status, it must occur once every two months and be documented via blood tests.
- Retinopathy is damage to the blood vessels and nerves in your eyes. Severe neuropathy can lead to significant loss of vision or complete blindness in one or both eyes. To use retinopathy as a qualifying factor for disability status, you must have a significant loss of visual acuity in both eyes. This severity of damage considers the patient to be blind.
- Other conditions like gastroparesis, nephropathy, etc. may be considered.
The Financial Costs Of Diabetes
Diabetes is an expensive condition, costing individuals more than twice as much in healthcare costs than their healthy counterparts. ADA reports that those suffering from the condition will pay an extra $7,900 each year in hospital care, prescriptions, supplies, doctors visits and other direct medical expenses.
In addition to direct medical costs, diabetes caused $69 billion dollars in indirect costs, which include missed workdays, decreased productivity at work, and the inability to work. This means, on average, those with diabetes are also losing almost $2,500 per year.
Diabetes Self-Management pointed out that many with diabetes have trouble affording the necessary prescriptions and supplies, even with the help of insurance. Though some pharmaceutical companies offer assistance for those who cant afford to pay full prices, people with diabetes are two and a half more times likely to be unemployed or live in poverty.
There are three types of diabetes. Type 1 or juvenile, is often diagnosed in children or young adults, and happens when their bodies cant make enough insulin. Type 2 or adult onset, is usually caused by unhealthy lifestyles, and happens when their bodies cant use insulin correctly. The third, gestational diabetes, occurs during pregnancy and rarely qualifies for benefits. In the United States, Type 2 is much more prevalent than Type 1, affecting 95 percent of diabetes population.
You May Like: Do Diabetics Have Skin Problems
What Are Disability Benefits
There are two kinds:
Social Security Disability Insurance . This type provides a monthly check if you canât work because of health issues. How much youâll get depends on how much you were making when you were employed.
To qualify, you must have worked at least 5 of the past 10 years.
Supplemental Security Income . This also provides a monthly check. But this program is for people who make less than a certain amount and donât have much in savings . You donât have to have worked to get SSI benefits.
Children who donât qualify for SSI may still be able to get Medicaid . The social services office in your state or county can give you more information.
Is Diabetes Considered A Disability In The United States
Approximately 34.2 million Americans, or more than one in 10, live with diabetes. Additionally, a further 88 million have prediabetes. That means roughly a third of adults in the United States have a substantial risk of developing diabetes in the future.
If youve been diagnosed with diabetes or at significant risk of developing the condition, you may wonder whether the government considers diabetes a disability.
Read Also: How To Count Carbs For Type 1 Diabetes
Skin Infections That Are Slow To Heal
People suffering from diabetes often have trouble healing from infections, especially superficial skin wounds. As many as one in three diabetes patients will develop some type of skin issue. Patients with diabetes are also more susceptible to skin infections, including fungal and bacterial infections.
The list of skin issues that seem to prey on diabetes patients is long and varied, ranging from simple pruritus to dangerous skin infections like those caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Many of the most common skin ailments are either caused or exacerbated by a lack of appropriate blood flow, often seen in diabetes patients with poorly managed blood glucose. Also, patients with uncontrolled diabetes can develop styes and may more easily develop fungal infections in their fingernails and toenails.
To be eligible for SSDI benefits, you must have medical documentation of skin infections that fail to appropriately heal within three months, making walking or using your hands difficult or impossible.
It is important to note that meeting the listings is only one way to qualify for benefits based on diabetes/diabetes-related illnesses. If you have a severe condition but do not meet the listings, your work history, training, education, and age will be considered in determining whether you can work in any occupation possible with your physical limitations.
Applying For Ssdi For Your Diabetes
Applying for SSDI is a multistep process. First, the initial application must be completed, along with a detailed activities of daily living questionnaire. A doctor must verify the relevant medical information and confirm that the diabetes will last for at least a year. Only 35 percent of SSDI claims are approved at the initial application stage.
If you are denied SSDI benefits, the second step is to request a reconsideration within 60 days. Your medical and job information must be verified and updated, and a different person will consider your application. The process takes three to five months. Nearly 90 percent of first reconsiderations are denied.
If the SSA denies your first reconsideration, you may appeal that decision within 60 days to an Administrative Law Judge, who will hold a hearing and rule on the case. Almost two-thirds of administrative appeal decisions are in favor of the applicant.
If the decision is not in your favor, you can take the next step and ask for a review by the SSDI Appeals Council. If this is denied which happens in 98 percent of the cases the final step is to file suit in federal court.
For more information about Social Security disability and diabetes, please see the SSA Blue Book, Section 9.00.
Also Check: Best Time Of Day To Take Insulin Shots