As a genetic disease that damages the body’s red blood cells, sickles cell disease (SCD), which is also referred to as sickle cell anemia, afflicts around 100,000 Americans per year with a number of life changing symptoms. For anyone suffering from the disease, simply getting out of bed in the morning can be a monumental task. SCD saps the body of all energy and in return, patients feel highly lethargic. What was once the simple daily routine of driving to work becomes an impossible daily routine to complete.
The Social Security Administration (SSDI) manages a program called Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) that helps severely injured and acutely sick American citizens and legal residents stay financially afloat. Sometimes, the SSA requires SSDI applicants to go the extra mile to prove SCD has made a negative impact on job performance.
Back to topKnowing Your Residual Functional Capacity
Every SSDI application goes under intense scrutiny to determine the merits of an SSDI case. The SSA refers to its Blue Book, which lists most of the common illnesses that are recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA). Section 7.05 of the Blue Book lists SCD, with four ways to qualify for benefits described under the listing of the potentially debilitating genetic disease. The SSA requires at least three hospitalizations within one year that are at least 30 days apart from each other. SCD patients must also measure hemoglobin that is less than seven grams per deciliter.
If your version of SCD does not qualify you for SSDI benefits, all hope is not lost. The SSA offers SSDI applicants the opportunity to prove SCD has negatively impacted job performance. You have to submit a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment form that is examined by a representative from Disability Determination Services (DDS). For example, a DDS representative might discover that SCD has limited your workplace activities to just a couple of hours a day.
Back to topMedical Documents Boost Your RFC Case
SCD produces symptoms that are unique to the genetic disease. In addition to feeling chronic fatigue, SCD can also trigger intense pain felt in areas of swelling. Leg ulcers and bacterial infections are also common symptoms found with SCD patients. To prove one or more of the symptoms, you need to attach medical documents to your RFC assessment form that provide the SSA with convincing evidence as to how much SCD has adversely impacted your career. An RFC assessment form sign off by your physician is an effective way to make your case for SCD disability benefits. You should also include the official diagnostic report, as well as copies of the result of every test administered by your doctor.
Find Out Where You Stand
You do not have to participate in the RFC assessment process, without first gaining insight into the strength of your case. A free case evaluation analyzes the same RFC form and medical documents that you submit for gaining approval of disability benefits for SCD. You do not have a second chance to make a favorable first impression for your RFC assessment. The SSA does not grant applicants the right to file an appeal for a denied claim. You should receive the results of your free case evaluation within a few days of submitting your healthcare records.
Schedule a free case evaluation today to boost your chances of receiving approval for an RFC assessment.
Back to topAdditional Resources
- SSA Offices By Region
- Disability Tips
- 5 Signs Your Claim for Disability Benefits May Be Approved with Sickle Cell Disease
