Heart Diseases That Qualify for Disability Benefits
Living with heart disease presents many challenges. One of these challenges can be that it can become difficult and even impossible to complete tasks that you previously were able to accomplish. It can even seep into your professional life. If you suffer from heart disease that has hindered your ability to work, you may be eligible for disability benefits. Take a look below to see if you qualify.
Social Security Administration Qualifying Conditions
The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers some heart conditions so severe and debilitating that they automatically qualify you for receiving benefits. This list of these conditions includes but is not limited to the following ailments:
- Chronic Venous Insufficiency
- Recurrent Arrhythmias
- Chronic Heart Failure (Congestive Heart Failure)
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Hypertensive Heart Disease
Qualifying for Benefits
If you have a condition that is not listed, you may still qualify for benefits. To do so, you must meet the requirements that have been set by the SSA or by proving that your heart disease has diminished your capacity to hold a job. When you apply for benefits, the SSA will evaluate the situation using your medical records and other evidence you provide to them.
Symptoms for SSA Qualification
The SSA’s “Listing 4.04” is a list of symptoms you must have to be eligible for disability benefits due to your heart disease. Symptoms on this list include:
- Angina pectoris, discomfort in the chest due to activity or emotion.
- Atypical angina, pain, or discomfort in the chest, inner left arm, jaw, neck, back, or upper abdomen
- Angina equivalent, shortness of breath due to exertion
- Variant angina, angina events when resting due to a spasm of a coronary artery.
- Silent ischemia, myocardial ischemia, or myocardial infarction without pain or symptoms
These Symptoms Must Accompany At Least One of The Following
- Abnormal stress test
- Ischemic episodes
- Abnormal imaging result
Social Security Administration Medical Evidence
The SSA requires medical evidence that supports your diagnosis and helps to prove that you cannot function at a job. The evidence they will look for includes:
- A clinical record of your heart disease that spans at least three months.
- Detailed reports of your medical history, including physicals, lab tests, ECG results, and treatments.
Reduced Functional Capacity
Even if you do not meet the qualifications listed above, you may still be eligible to receive benefits if the SSA determines your heart disease has severely affected your ability to work. If the SSA determines that you can no longer perform your job, they will consider you to be disabled and will grant you benefits. To determine your eligibility, the SSA will look at your ability to perform sedentarily, light, and medium-exertive duties. They will also test your ability to complete the activities associated with the daily tasks of your job. Finally, they will determine if there is some other type of work you can do. Then, they will make their final determination.
If you have questions regarding your eligibility for disability benefits due to your heart disease, please contact Clauson Law. We are here to help you.
