Is Asthma a Disability? Can You Qualify for Disability Benefits?
Millions of people in the United States struggle to breathe because of asthma. The shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing make it hard to accomplish even the most routine of daily activities. An asthma attack is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency that may come on suddenly and without warning.
For many people, the limitations caused by chronic asthma make work activities impossible to accomplish. If you cannot work because of asthma, you may qualify for disability benefits through programs managed by the Social Security Administration.
Disability benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs provide monthly cash payments and medical benefits through Medicare or Medicaid. Living with asthma is a struggle, but disability benefits through SSDI and SSI ease the financial hardship of being unable to work and earn money to pay bills.
This guide explains the process used by the Social Security Administration to determine when does asthma qualify for disability benefits. If you have questions or concerns about your medical condition and whether it qualifies for disability benefits, the disability lawyers at the Clauson Law Firm are available to discuss them with you during a free consultation.
What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung disorder that causes inflammation and narrowing of the passages carrying air into and out of the lungs when you breathe. During an asthma attack or flare-up, the passages swell even more than usual, and extra mucus may be produced, causing the airways to close even more, making breathing difficult. An asthma flare-up can be a life-threatening event requiring immediate medical treatment.
A person may develop asthma at any age, and the exact cause of the condition is unknown. Doctors and researchers believe genetics and environmental factors may contribute to a person developing asthma. There is less uncertainty within the medical community about the cause of asthma flare-ups.
So-called asthma attacks occur when a person with asthma is exposed to a trigger. Asthma triggers cause a worsening of symptoms. There are different types of asthma depending on the trigger, including:
- Allergic asthma: This is asthma caused by allergens, such as dust, mold, pets, or pollen.
- Nonallergic asthma: Exposure to cold air, various types of medications, infections, and household chemicals are some of the nonallergen triggers that may cause nonallergic asthma.
- Exercise-induced asthma: Physical exertion occurring during exercise can trigger a flare-up in someone with exercise-induced asthma.
- Occupational asthma: Industrial chemicals, dust, and other substances in the air that workers are exposed to may trigger an attack for someone with occupational asthma.
Triggers can change over time, so what triggers an asthma flare-up for you today may not cause one the next time you’re exposed to the same trigger.
Asthma Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment
Symptoms a person with asthma may experience include:
- Wheezing.
- Coughing, particularly during the night and early morning.
- Chest tightness.
- Wheezing when breathing that may cause a noticeable whistling sound.
- Shortness of breath.
- Excessive mucus production.
Symptoms may range from mild to severe and occur on a daily or less frequent basis. However, asthma symptoms get considerably worse during a flare-up that may come on gradually over hours or days, but it also can happen suddenly. Depending on the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, a doctor may recommend changing a person’s medications to control their asthma condition.
If you suffer from asthma symptoms, it’s essential that you consult with a physician and not attempt to self-diagnose or medicate. A medical professional will conduct a thorough examination to diagnose your condition and develop an effective treatment plan.
An examination to determine if you have asthma may include the following:
- Medical history and physical examination
- Lung function testing to determine how well your lungs are functioning
- Peak expiratory flow or PEF testing measures your ability to expel air at maximum effort
Your doctor may include other tests to determine your sensitivity to allergens and to measure the level of inflammation of your lungs.
Once your healthcare provider diagnoses your condition and its potential causes, a treatment plan will be created. Treatment may include trigger avoidance strategies, medication to reduce and control inflammation and narrowing of bronchial airways, and medication to prevent or minimize the effects of an asthma attack, which you may know as “rescue inhalers.”
Your physician may prescribe medication delivered by inhaler during or at the onset of an attack. These medications act to quickly open bronchial airways, making it easier to breathe. Depending on the frequency of your asthma flare-ups, your doctor will likely recommend that you carry the rescue inhaler with you at all times.
Is Asthma A Disability?
If you have asthma that is well-controlled and does not limit your ability to walk, climb stairs, lift objects, stand for extended periods, or do other activities required of you in the course of a typical workday, you may not qualify for disability benefits. You may be wondering: When is asthma a disability that qualifies for SSDI and SSI benefits?
Someone with a partial or temporary disability cannot qualify for disability benefits through the SSI and SSDI programs. The definition used by the Social Security Administration to determine if an application for SSDI and SSI establishes that a person is disabled requires documentation of a medically determinable physical or mental disability or combination of disabilities that prevents a person from doing substantial gainful activity. The impairment or impairments must have lasted or be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months, or it must be expected to cause the person’s death.
Children younger than 18 must have a medical condition or combination of conditions causing marked and severe functional limitations, which means the conditions severely limit the child’s activities. As with the adult definition, the conditions must be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or result in death.
You’re probably still wondering, “Does asthma qualify for disability benefits?” The answer depends on the severity of your medical condition and its effect on your ability to work.
When you apply for disability benefits, the Social Security Administration reviews your application to determine if you meet the non-medical requirements for SSI, SSDI, or both. For SSI, that means having little or no income and resources valued at $2,000 or less for individuals and $3,000 or less for eligible couples. SSDI requires you to have a long enough history of paying Social Security taxes on income earned from working at jobs or self-employment to be insured and eligible for benefits.
If you meet the non-medical requirements, Social Security sends your application to Disability Determination Services, an agency in your state that determines whether you have a medical condition meeting the criteria of the disability definition. The first method the DDS uses is the Blue Book.
Asthma And The Listing Of Impairments
Social Security created a listing of impairments, commonly called the Blue Book, for its disability claim examiners to determine if a medical condition is severe enough to meet the criteria to qualify for SSI or SSDI. Asthma is in Section 3.03, which is under the respiratory system category of the Blue Book. Your medical condition must match or be equivalent to the listing.
The lung function test performed by your doctor measured the amount of air you were capable of expelling from your lungs. The result is called your FEV1.
According to the asthma listing, your FEV1 value must be equivalent to or less than the value in the listing’s chart, which is based on age, height, and gender. Your medical records also must document three hospitalizations, at least 30 days apart, during a 12-month period. The hospital visits, including time in the emergency department, must be at least 48 hours each.
Accurate and complete medical records documenting your medical condition, including test results and asthma treatment outcomes, are essential to match or equal qualify for benefits using the Blue Book. If your condition does not qualify using the listing of impairments, you still may qualify for disability benefits with asthma.
Qualifying For Disability Benefits With A Medical-Vocational Allowance
Your medical condition may not match or be equivalent to a listed impairment in the Blue Book, but you may qualify for SSDI or SSI with asthma through a medical-vocational allowance. The DDS reviews your medical records and completes a residual functional capacity evaluation to determine whether your medical condition, age, skills, education, and other factors allow you to do work that you did in the past or another type of job available in the national economy. If you cannot, then you can qualify for disability benefits with asthma.
Learn More About Asthma And Disability Benefits At Clauson Law
Fewer than one-third of applications for disability benefits are approved during the initial review process. If your claim for disability benefits is denied, don’t give up. Contact Clauson Law for a free consultation to learn how our outstanding team of disability lawyers challenge claim denials through an appeal process that can turn a denial of your claim into an approval.
