Can You Get Disability with Lupus?

Lupus can be a debilitating and even fatal disease. It can limit your ability to work and do things in general. It can even affect your relationships with others.

But can you get disability with lupus?

Yes, it’s possible to get disability benefits for lupus. In fact, the disease is included in the SSA’s impairment listing. This means that if you have lupus, you’ll be considered disabled regardless of your work or education history.

However, lupus symptoms can vary widely. No two cases of lupus are exactly alike. While some cases of lupus can be very disabling, others may only bring about very mild symptoms. Some people with lupus don’t even know they have it.

Because of this, getting disability benefits for lupus won’t be that easy. A diagnosis alone isn’t enough. You still need to prove to the SSA that your condition prevents you from making a living.

To help you gauge if you’ll qualify for disability, we’ve put together this quick guide.

When is Lupus a Disability?

According to the SSA, a medical condition, including lupus, can be considered a disability if:

• it prevents you from working or engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA)
• it prevents you from doing the work you previously did or adjusting to other types of work
• it has lasted or is expected to last for at least a year or result in death

The SSA’s bluebook also lists down disability criteria specifically for lupus. According to it, lupus can be considered a disability if:

A. it affects two or more organs/body systems with:

• at least a moderate level of severity for one of the organs/body systems involved
• at least two common symptoms or signs like fever, involuntary weight loss, severe fatigue, or malaise)

B. repeated manifestation of symptoms resulting to limitations in:

• daily living activities
• maintaining social relationships
• completing tasks in a timely manner due to deficiencies in concentration, persistence, or pace

If your condition meets all of the above criteria, then you’ll most likely be approved for disability benefits.

The Problem With Getting Disability for Lupus

According to a survey by the Lupus Foundation of America, more than half of lupus patients have reported a total or partial loss of income due to the disease. Yet, only a quarter are receiving disability payments.

These numbers just prove what I told you earlier: getting disability for lupus isn’t easy. This difficulty can be attributed to different factors.

Aside from the widely varying symptoms, the disease affects different parts of the body. So each lupus patient will experience different symptoms despite having the same disease.

In addition, lupus symptoms can be very inconsistent. There are times that it worsens and then improves temporarily. Sometimes, it may even completely disappear, only to come back a few years later.

All these make it hard to prove that your symptoms are disabling enough to qualify for benefits.