Qualifying for Disability Benefits with End-Stage Renal Disease
End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is a medical condition in which a person’s kidneys cease functioning on a permanent basis leading to the need for a regular course of long-term dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life. It is most often caused by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), though it can occur suddenly or from other disorders. According to the latest U.S. Renal Data System Annual Report, ESRD affects over 660,000 Americans of all ages. To learn more about how the Social Security Administration (SSA) defines this disability, visit Section 6.00 of the Blue Book.
Does End-Stage Renal Disease Qualify for Disability?
Yes, people with end stage renal disease do qualify, but they need to meet the requirements of the SSA’s guidelines for this disability. To qualify for benefits, the SSA requires medical evidence of chronic heart failure while on prescribed treatment that shows either:
- Chronic kidney disease with chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis that has lasted or is expected to last for 12 months.
- Chronic kidney disease with a kidney transplant. 12 months after the transplant, the SSA will consider your disability based on any other affected body systems.
- Chronic kidney disease, with impairment of kidney function, with reduced glomerular filtration, which is the rate at which your kidneys filter waste and chemicals out of the blood stream, shown by laboratory findings on two occasions at least 90 days apart during a consecutive 12-month period showing abnormal levels of serum creatinine or creatinine, or a low glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), with at least one of the following:
- Bone degeneration that occurs when the kidneys are unable to maintain the necessary levels of minerals, hormones, and vitamins required for bone structure and function, called renal osteodystrophy, with severe bone pain and imaging studies documenting bone abnormalities.
- Neuropathy or other nervous tissue damage that affects peripheral motor, sensory nerves, or both, causing pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness due to toxins the kidneys can’t adequately filter from the blood.
- Fluid overload syndrome causing overfilled vessels (vascular congestion) with high blood pressure between heartbeats or signs of vascular congestion, swelling, or fluid retention, both despite at least 90 consecutive days of prescribed therapy and documented on at least two occasions 90 days or more apart in one year.
- Anorexia with weight loss determined by body mass index (BMI) of 18.0 or less, calculated on at least two occasions at least 90 days apart during a consecutive 12-month period.
- Complications of chronic kidney disease requiring at least three 48-hour hospitalizations more than 30 days apart within a consecutive 12-month period.
How Do I Apply for Disability Benefits?
To apply for disability benefits, it’s important to understand the disability application process. If you’ve been diagnosed with end stage renal disease and believe you may qualify, contact us today for a free disability case evaluation.
