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Home | Legal

Social Security Disability: Determining Eligibility

By: Kamille Pagibigan

Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration, also called as SSA, administers programs that award benefits to eligible individuals. These programs are the Supplemental Security Income or SSI, and the other one is the Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI. Both programs are intended to help individuals who have disabilities.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

The Supplemental Security Income or SSI program gives disability benefits to individuals who are disabled and have no or very limited resources and income. This includes children who are below 18 years old.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

The Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI program provides benefits to individuals and some members of the family if he/she has worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Moreover, an adult child may also be qualified to receive benefits of one's record of earnings if his/her disability has started before the age of 22.

Eligibility in Social Security Disability Programs

The programs administered by the Social Security Administration, the SSI and the SSDI, have certain rules and regulations in deciding if an individual is considered as "disabled" and that he/she is eligible to receive disability benefits.

What is "Disability?"

In legal terms, disability is defined as the inability to perform any substantial gainful activity (SGA) due to one or more medically determinable mental or physical impairments. To be eligible to receive disability benefits, impairments have to be expected to last for no less than 12 months or cause death.

What is a "Medically Determinable Impairment?"

A medically determinable impairment, whether mental or physical, is an impairment caused by physiological, anatomical, or psychological which can be shown by clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques which are medically acceptable. Impairments have to be recognized by medical evidence that consists of laboratory findings, symptoms, and signs.

Who are considered as "Acceptable Medical Sources?"

For an impairment to be considered as a medically determinable impairment, information regarding such impairments should come from "acceptable medical sources." Here is a list of the "acceptable medical sources," as defined by the Social Security Administration:

� Licensed physicians (either osteopathic or medical doctors)

� Certified or licensed psychologists (these include school psychologists, or other certified or licensed individuals who perform the same work as school psychologists but with a different title)

� Licensed optometrists

� Licensed podiatrists

� Qualified speech-language pathologists ("qualified" means that he/she has to be licensed by the State professional licensing agency, hold a Certificate of Clinical Competence awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or fully certified by the education agency in the state in which he/she practices.)

Medical Reports

The Social Security Administration requires medical reports from psychologists, physicians, and other medical professionals regarding the impairment of an individual. A medical report has to have the following:

� Medical history

� Laboratory findings, such as x-rays and blood pressure

� Clinical findings, such as the results of mental or physical status examinations

� Diagnosis

� Treatment prescribed with prognosis and response

� A statement giving an opinion regarding the things that the individual with disability can do in spite of his/her impairment based on the findings of medical sources

Social Security Disability Attorneys in Los Angeles

The Social Security Administration considers various factors in providing disability benefits to disabled individuals who are qualified. If you are in L.A. and you want to have more chances in claiming the benefits, it is advisable that you seek legal assistance from skillful Social Security disability attorneys in Los Angeles.

Article Source: http://bytepowered.org/articles

To help you with issues regarding your disability claim, consult with our Los Angeles Social Security disability attorneys. Log on to our website and avail of our free case evaluation.

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