Starting the SSA Disability Process: Medical Care
The absolute, very first step in the Social Security Disability process is getting a formal medical diagnosis. This seems obvious, but it isn’t. Many people struggle daily with symptoms and limitations without ever getting proper medical care. Unfortunately this lack of medical care, even if a person is physically or cognitively disabled, means they may not be eligible for disability. This is particularly relevant for the Huntington’s Disease community because it means a positive gene test is NOT ENOUGH to be found disabled in the Social Security, or any disability, process.
Medically Determinable Impairment
Social Security requires, by law, a “medically determinable impairment.” The Social Security rules specifically say,
“statements about your pain or other symptoms will not alone establish that you are disabled. There must be objective medical evidence from an acceptable medical source that shows you have a medical impairment(s) which could reasonably be expected to produce the pain or other symptoms.”
In simple terms, you must have a medically documented diagnosis. The only way to get a medical diagnosis is to get treatment and care from appropriate medical providers. For Huntington’s disease, this means getting care from a neurologist. A great place to get HD medical care is an HDSA Center of Excellence. Medical care providers also include psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care physicians/family doctors, and physical, occupational, speech, and swallow therapists.
Medical Evidence
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If you have questions, you can always Ask Allison!
