Social Security has proposed changing to its listings for musculoskeletal disorders. Social Security’s listings are impairments used by Social Security in making disability determinations by judging the severity of impairments. We will be presenting a series on the proposed changes, first looking at the current listing Social Security considers, followed by the proposed new listing. The final listing is 1.07, a listing that would be replaced by 1.23.
1.07 Fracture of an upper extremity (Current listing)
1.07 Fracture of an upper extremity with nonunion of a fracture of the shaft of the humerus, radius, or ulna, under continuing surgical management, as defined in 1.00M, directed toward restoration of functional use of the extremity, and such function was not restored or expected to be restored within 12 months of onset.
1.23 Non-Healing or complex fracture of an upper extremity (New listing)
101.23 Non-healing or complex fracture of an upper extremity (see 101.00N), Documented by A and B and C:
- Nonunion of a fracture, or complex fracture, of the shaft of the humerus, radius, or ulna, under continuing surgical management, as defined in 1.00P, directed toward restoration of functional use of the extremity;
AND
- Impairment-related physical limitation of musculoskeletal functioning that has lasted, or can be expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months,
AND
- Medical documentation of at least one of the following (see 101.00E):
- An inability to use one upper extremity to independently initiate, sustain, and complete age-appropriate activities involving fine and gross movements, and a documented medical need for a one-handed assistive device that requires the use of the other upper extremity; or
- An inability to use both upper extremities to the extent that neither can be used to independently initiate, sustain, and complete age-appropriate activities involving fine and gross movements.
