SSA's "Blue Book" Criteria for Autoimmune conditions

GREAT NEWS: The SSA has a Blue Book that lists "common disorders" and the criteria that need to be met to qualify for either SSDI or SSI.

OK - please don't freak out when you see the info I'm copying below. I'm just showing you the YARDSTICK against which an SSA Analyst will measure YOUR situation. AND, that's why you need to get the DisabilityKey Workbook found at the DisabilityKey website: http://www.disabilitykey.com for the process instructions, forms and examples to document your symptom impairments to meet these criteria!! AND, to assist your doctor(s) in supporting you!

Here's the link to this Immune Disorder category:

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professio ... .htm#14_10

From that link, here's what is said about "Autoimmune" conditions:

2. Autoimmune disorders (14.00D).Autoimmune disorders are caused by dysfunctional immune responses directed against the body’s own tissues, resulting in chronic, multisystem impairments that differ in clinical manifestations, course, and outcome. They are sometimes referred to as rheumatic diseases, connective tissue disorders, or collagen vascular disorders. Some of the features of autoimmune disorders in adults differ from the features of the same disorders in children.

Here's what the SSA says they need to show that you have an immune system disorder. And REMEMBER - they also state - elsewhere - that it is YOUR responsibility to obtain and provide this information to them in support of your case.

Under both the Title II(SSDI) and Title XVI (SSI) programs, medical evidence is the cornerstone for the determination of disability. Each person who files a disability claim is responsible for providing medical evidence showing he or she has an impairment(s) and the severity of the impairment(s)

Here now are the "immune disorder (autoimmune) criteria.

B. What information do we need to show that you have an immune system disorder? Generally, we need your medical history, a report(s) of a physical examination, a report(s) of laboratory findings, and in some instances, appropriate medically acceptable imaging or tissue biopsy reports to show that you have an immune system disorder. Therefore, we will make every reasonable effort to obtain your medical history, medical findings, and results of laboratory tests. We explain the information we need in more detail in the sections below.

C. Definitions

1. Appropriate medically acceptable imaging includes, but is not limited to, angiography, x-ray imaging, computerized axial tomography (CAT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with or without contrast material, myelography, and radionuclear bone scans. “Appropriate” means that the technique used is the proper one to support the evaluation and diagnosis of the impairment.

2. Constitutional symptoms or signs, as used in these listings, means severe fatigue, fever, malaise, or involuntary weight loss. Severe fatigue means a frequent sense of exhaustion that results in significantly reduced physical activity or mental function. Malaise means frequent feelings of illness, bodily discomfort, or lack of well-being that result in significantly reduced physical activity or mental function.

3. Disseminated means that a condition is spread over a considerable area. The type and extent of the spread will depend on your specific disease.

4. Dysfunction means that one or more of the body regulatory mechanisms are impaired, causing either an excess or deficiency of immunocompetent cells or their products.

5. Extra-articular means “other than the joints”; for example, an organ(s) such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, or skin.

6. Inability to ambulate effectively has the same meaning as in 1.00B2b. (Find the citations for 6-8 at this link: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professio ... -Adult.htm)

7. Inability to perform fine and gross movements effectively has the same meaning as in 1.00B2c.

8. Major peripheral joints has the same meaning as in 1.00F.

9. Persistent means that a sign(s) or symptom(s) has continued over time. The precise meaning will depend on the specific immune system disorder, the usual course of the disorder, and the other circumstances of your clinical course.

10. Recurrent means that a condition that previously responded adequately to an appropriate course of treatment returns after a period of remission or regression. The precise meaning, such as the extent of response or remission and the time periods involved, will depend on the specific disease or condition you have, the body system affected, the usual course of the disorder and its treatment, and the other facts of your particular case.

11. Resistant to treatment means that a condition did not respond adequately to an appropriate course of treatment. Whether a response is adequate or a course of treatment is appropriate will depend on the specific disease or condition you have, the body system affected, the usual course of the disorder and its treatment, and the other facts of your particular case.

12. Severe means medical severity as used by the medical community. The term does not have the same meaning as it does when we use it in connection with a finding at the second step of the sequential evaluation processes in §§404.1520, 416.920, and 416.924.