Wellness

[RinaRina]

Has anyone here been put on disability due to "bad" knees?

[June Lands]

This might answer some of your questions regarding how they determine if you qualify.

<h1 class="page_header">Arthritis and Social Security Disability Insurance</h1>

Here is an explanation of Social Security's five-step process to determine if an arthritis patient qualifies for SSDI:

1. Determine if an individual is "working (engaging in substantial gainful activity)" according to the SSA definition. Earning more than $1,040 a month as an employee is enough to be disqualified from receiving Social Security disability benefits.
2. Conclude the arthritis disability must be severe enough to significantly limit one's ability to perform basic work activities needed to do most jobs. For example: <ul style="padding-left: 10px;"> <li>Walking, standing, sitting, lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, carrying or handling
3. Seeing, hearing and speaking
4. Understanding/carrying out and remembering simple instructions
5. Responding appropriately to supervision, co-workers and usual work situations
6. Dealing with changes in a routine work setting
</ul> </li>
7. Ask if the arthritis disability meets or equals a medical listing. Arthritis is considered under the musculoskeletal body system and has several specific medical listings or categories. To satisfy the listing criteria, a person with inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis) must have: <ul style="padding-left: 10px;"> <li>persistent swelling.
8. pain.
9. limitation of joints (hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, or wrist and hands).
</ul> </li>

People who have degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) satisfy the requirements if they have:

• significant limitations using their arms/hands.
• a significant problem standing and walking.

Those who have significant back or neck problems due to degenerative arthritis must have persistent sensory, reflex and motor loss.
However, if a person's arthritis disability does not satisfy a medical listing, the SSA continues to the next two steps to see whether the person might still qualify for disability benefits. At the next two steps, the SSA looks primarily at how the actual limitations and symptoms imposed by arthritis affect a person's ability to perform work. Thus, at Steps 4 and 5, Social Security looks more specifically at the work-related impact of arthritis.

1. Explore the ability of an individual to perform work they have done in the past despite their arthritis. If the SSA finds that a person can do his past work, benefits are denied. If the person cannot, then the process proceeds to the fifth and final step.
2. Review age, education, work experience and physical/mental condition to determine what other work, if any, the person can perform. To determine arthritis disability, the SSA enlists medical-vocational rules, which vary according to age.

For example, if a person is:

Under age 50 and, as a result of the symptoms of arthritis, unable to perform what the SSA calls sedentary work, then the SSA will reach a determination of disabled. Sedentary work requires the ability to lift a maximum of 10 pounds at a time, sit six hours and occasionally walk and stand two hours per eight-hour day.

Age 50 or older and, due to the disability, limited to performing sedentary work, but has no work-related skills that allow him to do so, the SSA will reach a determination of disabled.

Age 55 or older and, due to the disability, limited to performing light work, but has no work-related skills that allow him to do so, the SSA will reach a determination of disabled.

Over age 60 and, due to the disability, unable to perform any of the jobs he performed in the last 15 years, the SSA will likely reach a determination of disabled.

Any age and, because of arthritis, has a psychological impairment that prevents even simple, unskilled work, the SSA will reach a determination of disabled.

[sydsgma1]

Amen, John. I totally agree. I have several medical issues that would qualify me perhaps, but I would never have done that. There are people who deservedly need ssfdi, but thee are a lot os scams.

[millieshops]

I would hope the first test would be that those knees are inoperable. As a taxpayer and payer of insurance premiums, I'd like my money to go for surgery before disability.

I do know a number of people who have had three knee replacements- one I know had to retire because of his issues, but I really don't know whether he then went on disability. He was approximately 55 at retirement. That's all I know.

[RinaRina]

On 12/26/2014 hckynut said:

This may get this post "poofed", but I have had many of my threads poofed for a whole lot less by something someone said or something I said in response.

@ hckynut - You didn't say anything "wrong". It's your opinion, and you have a right to your opinion. I read the rules above and they scared me because I AM over 60. I have a difficult time walking all day and fear I might have to stop working. I've been off work a little over 2 months and I'm starting to get anxiety attacks (because becoming "crippled" was not in my life plans). I'm having a hard time visualizing myself as "disabled", but with my arthritis, back & knee injuries, I really can't keep up at the pace I was going before. Sadly, I might just have to retire ... something I wasn't planning to do until I was on my "last leg". Unfortunately, I'm feeling as if I am on my "last leg".

[RetRN]

I totally agree with John.

[VaBelle35]

On 12/26/2014 hckynut said:

All I can say after reading this! And some wonder why/how there has been a huge increase in the number of people on the disability benefits from the state or feds. Speaking only for myself that has had many of the things listed in Post reply #1. None of the many qualifiers in post #1, if accurate, kept or keeps me from doing all kinds of work. I am sure there are many here that have issues that would qualify them for this free $$$$ if they chose to pursue it.

Always wondered why so many with any type of spinal issue were able to receive any benefit for not being able to get/hold a job. If this prior reply information is correct? Who DOES NOT qualify for tax payers money?

While I can empathize, not sympathize with many that have pain, I think the moral compass with which I was raised is not longer pointing in the same direction. It used to be "if you want something you will have to work for it". Now it seems to be "if you can get something for nothing, why not"?

This may get this post "poofed", but I have had many of my threads poofed for a whole lot less by something someone said or something I said in response.

My brother married into a family where this was literally the "family business."

Unemployment

Worker's Comp

Disability

[Mint2]

On 12/26/2014 hckynut said:

All I can say after reading this! And some wonder why/how there has been a huge increase in the number of people on the disability benefits from the state or feds. Speaking only for myself that has had many of the things listed in Post reply #1. None of the many qualifiers in post #1, if accurate, kept or keeps me from doing all kinds of work. I am sure there are many here that have issues that would qualify them for this free $$$$ if they chose to pursue it.

Always wondered why so many with any type of spinal issue were able to receive any benefit for not being able to get/hold a job. If this prior reply information is correct? Who DOES NOT qualify for tax payers money?

While I can empathize, not sympathize with many that have pain, I think the moral compass with which I was raised is not longer pointing in the same direction. It used to be "if you want something you will have to work for it". Now it seems to be "if you can get something for nothing, why not"?

This may get this post "poofed", but I have had many of my threads poofed for a whole lot less by something someone said or something I said in response.

Absolutely spot on right on this John. My sister in her early 50's has endured arthritis knee pain for years before finally having both knees replaced within 18 months. She is now rehabbing her second knee, getting more active to the point that she is losing weight. I am so so proud of her. She works as an aid with autistic children which is no desk job. I am just sorry that her doctors refused to replace her knees until now.

[Thrive]

I think that if you qualify for it, they will give it to you. It is a serious situation and they don't comply to people just because they request it. I am sure that most people would rather be able to work. However, SSD is there for those who simply can not. It is a fact of life.

[151949]

john and others - I think there are many people , like me , who were on workman's comp and will never be able to return to their job. Could they do some job - probably but SS takes into consideration what other jobs you may be qualified to do and if you would be able to do them. Also they consider your age - would anyone be willing to hire a person who is 58 years old and has a history of having cancer twice and multiple orthopedic issues as I did. They look at the total picture - not just the one issue. in my case workman's comp said they would provide me with an attorney to help me apply - as soon as the attorney saw my MRI report he asked SS for an "expedited review" and within a week it was awarded. Not only was the injury I applied with considered but also that I was scheduled to go in for ankle surgery that was going to put me in a wheelchair for 5 months and after that I would need extensive rehab.And my age and the economy - it was 2008 and the economy was crashing all over the country.

Before you judge others there are many factors in someone else's life that you are most likely not aware of - and are not your business either. I am sure there is fraud in SSD but it is not for you or anyone else to judge others because you don't have any idea why they were awarded and someone else was not.

So many people in this country are so worried that someone is getting something that they are not. Sheesh.