The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has issued a guidebook that may assist with people diagnosed with MS in applying for Social Security disability benefits. This guidebook, which can be found here, is a good resource for people with MS to understand and handle the challenges they may face when filing an application. It is important to know that someone diagnosed with MS does not automatically qualify for disability benefits, and that what is most important is how the illness impacts a person’s ability to work.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes MS as a chronic illness or “impairment” that could cause disability severe enough to prevent a person from working. Any of the following (or other) MS symptoms may become severe enough to interfere with a person’s ability to continue in the workforce:
- Difficulty walking, maintaining balance or engaging in other physical activities
- Difficulty using your arms, hands and fingers to carry out tasks
- Difficulty seeing
- Difficulty with cognitive tasks such as information processing, memory, attention, multi-tasking, problem-solving, planning and prioritizing
- Inability to function physically or cognitively for sustained periods of time because of severe fatigue
- Problems with breathing, swallowing or speaking
- Severe and persistent depression or other mood changes
- Severe and persistent pain
A person with multiple sclerosis (MS) who is unable to work eight hours a day, five days a week due to MS-related impairments and/or other conditions may qualify as disabled. The same medical criteria apply whether a person is applying for Social Security Disability Insurance — SSDI (for individuals who have worked for a sufficiently long time and paid enough Social Security taxes — FICA) or for Supplemental Security Income — SSI (for individuals who have not worked or paid Social Security taxes and are elderly, blind and/or disabled with very limited means).
