Yes, people with kidney disease do qualify, but they need to meet the requirements of the SSA’s guidelines for this disability. There are several Blue Book listings for kidney disease which include: 

Section 6.03 Chronic Kidney Disease, which requires:

• chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis

Section 6.04 Chronic Kidney Disease, kidney transplant which requires: 

• you are considered to have a disability for 1 year after a kidney transplant.

Section 6.05 Chronic Kidney Disease, with impairment of kidney function with:

• reduced glomerular filtration at least 90 days apart during a 12-month period:
  • Serum creatinine of 4 mg/dL or greater; or
  • Creatinine clearance of 20 ml/min. or less; or
  • Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 ml/min/1.73m2 or less. AND
• One of the following:
  • Renal osteodystrophy; or 
  • Peripheral neuropathy; or
  • Fluid overload syndrome documented by:
    • Diastolic hypertension OR
    • Signs of vascular congestion or anasarca; or
  • Anorexia with weight loss with a BMI of 18.0 or less

Section 6.06 Nephrotic Syndrome with:

• Laboratory findings within 90 days of a 12-month period:
  • Proteinuria of 10.0 g or greater; or 
  • Serum albumin of 3.0g/ddL or less and
    • Proteinuria of 3.5 g or less; or
    • Urine total-protein-to-creatinine ratio of 3.5 or greater. AND
• Anasarca persisting for at least 90 days despite prescribed treatment.

Section 6.09 Complications of Chronic Kidney Disease requiring:

• at least 3 hospitalizations within a 12-month period occurring 30 days apart. Each hospitalization must be at least 48 hours long (including hours in the emergency department). 

Along with these listings, kidney disease can also qualify as a compassionate allowance. Compassionate Allowance (CAL) Listings are severely disabling or terminal illnesses that fall under special review and approval guidelines with the SSA. Applications filed on these conditions are expedited to get benefits started as quickly as possible. Two kidney diseases are among the CAL program listings:

• Hepatorenal Syndrome
• Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis

No matter which listing you may qualify under, you must ensure your application and medical records are thorough and detailed. Specifically, the SSA may need to see any or all of the following medical documentation of your kidney disease:

• A statement from your doctor, outlining the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis
• A formal diagnosis and physical exam notes
• Repeated and recent urinalysis results, documenting serum creatinine and albumin
• Imaging scans, if you have kidney or renal abnormalities
• Renal biopsy results and any surgical notes
• Neurological exam results, if you experience nephropathy
• Other diagnostic test results documenting any complications of your kidney disease