The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, a qualifying disability, but it must be advanced RA to meet the SSA’s eligibility requirements.
That means that you your rheumatoid arthritis has to be so severe that you will be out of work for at least 12 months. You must also have enough work credits to qualify for disability with rheumatoid arthritis.
You must meet the SSA's medical criteria for rheumatoid arthritis and have enough work credits, you will be able to qualify for disability benefits with rheumatoid arthritis.
Is Rheumatoid Arthritis a Disability?
The SSA considers rheumatoid arthritis as a form of inflammatory arthritis that qualifies for disability. Your rheumatoid arthritis needs to meet the medical requirements outlined in the SSA’s Blue Book to qualify for disability benefits.
In order for the SSA to consider your rheumatoid arthritis a disability, your rheumatoid arthritis needs to be so severe that you will be out of work for 12 months or longer.
Once you meet the medical requirements outlined by the SSA, you also need to meet the work requirements too.
Social Security disability benefits are for workers who can no longer work anymore because of a disability or a serious ailment like rheumatoid arthritis.
In order to meet the work requirements, you need to have a certain amount of work credits. Work credits are calculated by how old you are and how long you have worked.
You can earn up to 4 work credits per year for every year you worked. If you meet both the medical and work requirements outlined by the SSA, the SSA will consider your rheumatoid arthritis a disability and you can start earning Social Security disability benefits.
Disabling Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, which can affect the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that down the road can result in bone erosion and joint deformity.
Early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include swollen or tender joints, which usually start in your fingers and toes.
As rheumatoid arthritis gets worse, that joint swellness and joint pain can affect your knees, wrists, shoulders and hips.
Over time rheumatoid arthritis can case the joints to be permanently deformed. While there is no diagnostic test for rheumatoid arthritis, you are still able to qualify for disability for rheumatoid arthritis. Your rheumatoid arthritis needs to be so disabling that you can no longer work full time because of it.
Ensure Your Medical History is Lengthy and Detailed
RA is a progressive disease and the SSA needs to see how your illness has worsened over time. They must have a formal diagnosis, including the date of the disease’s onset, in addition to detailed medical records showing you have consistently sought qualified medical care and followed prescribed treatments.
Detailed medical records are the key to approval for disability benefits and a lengthy medical history ensures the SSA has the proof necessary to evaluate your claim. Details records allow the disability examiners to understand the full extent of your RA symptoms and how your symptoms affect your ability to perform everyday job functions.
Work Closely with Your Rheumatologist to Confirm Work Limitations
Although the SSA has a standard disability listing under which RA is reviewed, they will likely need to see a residual functional capacity (RFC) evaluation from your doctor as well. This report must detail your symptoms and the limitations they place on your everyday abilities.
The opinion of a rheumatologist holds the most weight. Work closely with your doctor to accurately reflect your everyday limitations of rheumatoid arthritis and remember that your doctor works for you.
If your current physician is not willing to work with you in the way you need, find another specialist to provide ongoing treatment and the kind of support required when applying for SSD benefits.
Clearly Establish Your Work Limitations through Medical and Work History Records
Some people with RA can continue to work for many years following their diagnosis. Even after workers are unable to perform more strenuous and physical job duties, many can still do sedentary work, at least for a time.
To be approved for SSD, you must ensure your medical records and your work history show you are no longer able to keep a physical or even sedentary job. Be sure to document specific job duties and the symptoms that now prevent you from completing those duties. Use the following to achieve your goal:
- answers in the disability application,
- work records, including performance evaluations and attendance documents,
- statements from former employers,
- and reports completed by your doctor
Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Qualify for Disability?
Rheumatoid arthritis is considered a disability by the SSA and you are able to get disability benefits with rheumatoid arthritis. In order to qualify for disability for rheumatoid arthritis, you need to meet the medical requirements listed in the SSA’s Blue Book.
The Blue Book is the list of conditions that can qualify someone for disability benefits. When you send in your SSDI application, the SSA will look at your application and see if it matches with the Blue book listing for inflammatory arthritis.
While there is not exact listing for rheumatoid arthritis, you can still get disability for rheumatoid arthritis if you meet the Blue Book listing for inflammatory arthritis.
The most important thing that you need to know in order to qualify for disability for rheumatoid arthritis with is to make sure that you have detailed medical records and medical history to back up your claim that you can no longer work because of your rheumatoid arthritis.
How to Qualify Using the Blue Book for Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Social Security Administration relies upon the Disability Evaluation Under Social Security, commonly known as the Blue Book, to help understand how a medical condition impacts the ability to work. The Blue Book is a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, list of medical conditions.
Rheumatoid Arthritis falls under section 1.00 Musculoskeletal System. When completing your application for disability for rheumatoid arthritis, you will want to include all imaging results used to reach your diagnosis including x-rays, sonograms, MRIs and any other imaging that was done.
This is important because the SSA will not pay to obtain imaging results, and that means you need to provide everything that they will need for their decision.
In addition to the imaging results, be sure to include a complete medical history of your condition, including the diagnosis, test results and treatment plan. Talk with your doctor about your application so that your doctor can help you obtain the information you need to support your claim.
Using an RFC to Qualify for SSD Benefits For Rheumatoid Arthritis
In some cases, the Social Security Administration will not be able to confirm that your condition qualifies as a disability, but you might still be unable to work. You will need to have your physician fill out a Residual Function Capacity form (RFC) to certify how much work, if any, you are capable of performing given your condition.
The RFC is crucial when it comes to applying for benefits because it is a determination of the maximum amount of work you are capable of performing, and since your doctor is the one who certifies it, the SSA can rely on these findings to make their decision.
The SSA will decide whether your condition would allow you to work in a different job, or perhaps with accommodations, or if work of any kind is out of the question.
Your doctor is your greatest ally when it comes to filling out your RFC form. While your doctor cannot inflate your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, your doctor is able to describe how you are actually doing, which is something that the Blue Book cannot do.
Your doctor has examined you and can see if you struggle to stand up or are unable to grasp pens and pencils, or if you are having adverse reactions to medications that you are taking.
Make sure you talk with your doctor early on about your intention to file for disability benefits so that your doctor can keep notes on your rheumatoid arthritis that will help him or her to fill out the RFC form in a timely manner.
Percentage of People Initially Denied Disability For Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Social Security Administration receives tens of thousands of disability benefits applications each year. Surprisingly, 70% of applications are denied the first time around. Be sure to look out for the signs that you will be denied for disability.
This is a huge number, but when you consider the number of people who apply and don’t qualify, how many people submit incomplete applications and how many people do not provide enough medical documentation, then suddenly that number starts to make sense.
When you set out to apply for Social Security disability benefits with arthritis, it can be an overwhelming task to gather all of the necessary medical documentation and information about your work history. You also have to be sure that the application has been completed properly.
If you don’t have anyone who can help you with the application process, or if you need more help beyond what your friends and family are able to provide, you might consider working with a Social Security disability attorney.
Disability attorneys understand the process and will make sure your application has everything it needs, and they can help you obtain any additional information that will help to make your claim as strong as possible.
While working with a disability attorney does not guarantee that you will win your case, having a disability advocate working on your behalf will greatly improve your chances of being approved.
Get a Free Case Evaluation
Although rheumatoid arthritis is a qualified disability in its advanced stages, you may need help to prove your disabled status to the SSA. Take our SSDI calculator to see how much you could get with disability benefits. If you are unable to precisely meet the listing for Inflammatory Arthritis as it appears in Section 14.09 of the SSA's Blue Book, you will need to qualify for benefits through an RFC analysis instead.
A Social Security lawyer or disability advocate familiar with how the SSA handles RA claims can help you:
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- prepare your application,
- collect the necessary evidence for supporting your claim for benefits,
- understand communications you receive from the Social Security Administration.
An attorney can also help in a number of other ways throughout the application and review processes, including handling your appeal, if you are denied disability.
Additional Resources
- What Conditions Automatically Qualify You For Disability
- What Medical Conditions Qualify for Social Security Disability
- Is Arthritis A Disability
- How Severe Does my Arthritis Need to be to Qualify?
- Signs That You May Be Approved For Disability
- Chances of Getting Disability for Arthritis
- What is Rheumatoid Arthritis And How To Qualify For SSDI
- 5 Signs Your Claim for Disability Benefits May Be Approved With Arthritis
- What Medical Conditions Qualify For Social Security Disability?