Does Anemia Qualify for Disability Benefits?

Red blood cells transport oxygen throughout your body. When you do not have enough healthy red blood cells, you may become tired, weak, and experience shortness of breath. This medical condition is anemia.

Anemia can range from mild to severe. If you have symptoms that interfere with your ability to work, you may have anemia disability. The first step is to be examined by a physician or other healthcare professional to obtain an accurate diagnosis and prognosis.

The next step should be to contact the disability professionals at Sackett and Associates. Our disability lawyers have been assisting people with disabilities nationwide with their Social Security disability claims for more than 45 years. They know how the process to obtain disability benefits works and understand how frustrating it can be for individuals attempting to live with a medical condition while trying to take on the system on their own.

Here is a brief explanation of what it takes to meet the disability criteria for anemia, and an overview of the benefits available to you. Read through it and contact Sackett Law for a free consultation to learn more.

What Is Anemia?

Red blood cells contain a protein called “hemoglobin.” Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to organs throughout the body. There are many types of anemia, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe and life-threatening.

Anemia is a blood disorder characterized by insufficient red blood cells or cells that do not function properly. The condition may be due to genetics, may develop on its own, or may result from another medical condition.

Symptoms may vary depending on the cause and severity of the condition, but they may include:

1. Fatigue and being too tired to do everyday activities.
2. Dizziness.
3. Frequent infections.
4. Heart palpitations or chest pain.
5. Headaches.
6. Shortness of breath.
7. Pale skin.

Known causes of anemia include:

1. Iron deficiency.
2. Vitamin deficiency.
3. Inflammation caused by diseases, such as kidney disease, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Aplastic anemia, a life-threatening condition occurring when the body does not produce enough red blood cells. Infections, autoimmune diseases, medications, and exposure to toxic chemicals may cause aplastic anemia.
5. Bone marrow diseases, such as leukemia, may interfere with the body’s ability to produce blood cells.
6. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited condition producing irregular-shaped red blood cells that die, causing an insufficient number of cells to carry oxygen.

Treatments and their success vary based on the condition’s cause and severity.

Is Anemia A Disability?

Whether anemia meets the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability determines whether a person receives approval for anemia disability benefits. The SSA defines a disability as the inability to do substantial gainful work activities because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to result in death or to last for at least one year.

The Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs require that applicants for low hemoglobin SSDI and other anemia conditions meet the SSA disability standard. To determine whether they do, SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation during disability application review.

The evaluation process uses the following steps:

1. Step One: If an applicant currently works, are they doing substantial gain activity? They are not disabled if they do substantial gainful activity.
2. Step Two: Is the medical condition severe and expected to last for 12 months or result in death? If not, then the person is not disabled.
3. Step Three: Does the person’s condition meet or is it equivalent to a listed impairment in the “Blue Book,” the listing of impairments created by the SSA? Meeting or being equivalent to a listed impairment means it is severe enough to meet the SSA definition of disability.
4. Step Four: Does a condition that fails to meet or be equivalent to a listed impairment allow the person to do past relevant work? They are not disabled if it does.
5. Step Five: Does the condition prevent the person from adjusting to other types of work available in the national economy? A person who can perform other types of work is not disabled.

A person may seek benefits for chronic anemia under Listing 7.00, Hematological Disorders, provided they have medical documentation supporting the claim. The first step for someone with anemia is an examination, medical history, and diagnostic testing by a physician.

Get Skilled Legal Assistance with Anemia Disability Claim

Medical records and a statement from your doctor are crucial in proving that your medical condition meets the requirements for chronic anemia disability benefits through the SSDI and SSI programs. The disability attorneys at Sackett and Associates know the importance of documentation in proving a disability claim, whether during the initial review process or in challenging a denial of benefits through the appeal process. Let us show you the difference we can make. Contact Sackett Law today for a free consultation.