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. Next up is listing 1.08, a listing that would be replaced by 1.21.
1.08 Soft tissue injury (Current listing)
1.08 Soft tissue injury (e.g., burns) of an upper or lower extremity, trunk, or face and head, under continuing surgical management, as defined in 1.00M, directed toward the salvage or restoration of major function, and such major function was not restored or expected to be restored within 12 months of onset. Major function of the face and head is described in 1.00.
1.21 Soft tissue injury (New listing)
101.21 Soft tissue injury or abnormality under continuing surgical management (see
101.00L), documented by A, B, and C in the medical record:
- Evidence confirms ongoing surgical management directed towards saving, reconstructing, or replacing the affected part of the body.
AND
- The surgical management has been, or is expected to be, ongoing for at least 12 months.
AND
- Maximum benefit from therapy has not yet been achieved.
When comparing these two listings, both identify surgical management either for “salvage or restoration” in the current listing, or for “saving, reconstructing, or replacing” as a requirement to return to functioning. The new listing adds something new, the “maximum benefit from therapy has not been achieved, while the proposed listing that would change the current listing has no mention on therapy. As you can see, once again, the new listing is longer and more detailed that the current listing, something that can be seen in all the new listings.
