SSI and Presumptive Disability
Individuals applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be eligible to receive benefits while their disability application is pending if they qualify for presumptive disability.
SSI is a monthly benefit paid out of a Federal program funded by general tax revenues to individuals who are blind or disabled. Unlike SSDI, SSI does not require work credits to qualify; it’s based instead on income and resources.
How To Qualify For Presumptive Disability
An individual may qualify for presumptive disability if they are suffering from a condition that is so severe that they are presumed to be disabled. If the impairment is readily observable, or there is a high degree of probability that the individual is disabled because of certain impairments, that person may be found presumptively disabled.
Impairments that may qualify for presumptive disability include:
- amputation of two limbs
- amputation of a leg at the hip
- total deafness
- total blindness
- a stroke that occurred more than three months prior with marked difficulty in walking or using a hand or arm
- bed confinement or immobility without the use of a wheelchair, walker, or crutches due to a long-standing condition
- cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or muscular atrophy with marked difficulty in walking, speaking, or using the hands or arms
- Down’s Syndrome
- diabetes with amputation of a foot
- severe mental deficiency in a claimant who is at least seven years old
Applying for Presumptive Disability
In order to apply for presumptive disability, an individual must file an application for SSI disability benefits. In some instances the Social Security Administration field office may be able to make the presumptive disability determination, while in other cases the decision will be made by Disability Determination Services. Upon being found presumptively disabled, an individual may receive disability payments for a period of up to six months. If an individual who received presumptive disability payments is eventually found not to be disabled, they will not be required to reimburse the Agency for those payments.
Since 2010, Citizens Disability has been America’s premier Social Security Disability advocate. Our mission is to give a voice to the millions of Americans who are disabled and unable to work, helping them receive the Social Security Disability benefits to which they may be entitled. We have helped tens of thousands of individuals with their SSDI claims. Your success is our mission.
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