Cancer

Published on: February 27, 2016

Breast Cancer and Social Security Disability

Women or men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and find that their condition no longer allows them to work may be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits.

It’s very normal for a person to be traumatized, concerned and stressed after any cancer diagnosis. There are doctor appointments to get to, treatment options to consider, and financial stresses to contend with. Among those financial considerations is the issue of whether you are eligible for Social Security disability benefits.

Social Security does provide for disability benefits for persons suffering from cancer. However, merely a cancer diagnosis on its own will not make you eligible for benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. The Social Security Administration will consider your cancer a qualifying disability if you are not capable of performing the work that you did before being diagnosed with cancer, and if the cancer makes it difficult for you to do certain types of work. Also, your cancer must have lasted, or be expected to last, for at least 12 months, or to result in death for you to be eligible for benefits.

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Published on: July 20, 2015

Will a cervical cancer diagnosis entitle me to Social Security Disability Benefits?

By Lisa Siegel

Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later. When cancer starts in the cervix, it is called cervical cancer. The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates applications by listing a cervical cancer diagnosis under specific guidelines. Cancers of the uterine cervix diagnosed as carcinoma or sarcoma must meet the following conditions: (a) the cancer must extend to the pelvic wall, lower portion of the vagina or the adjacent or distant organs; or (b) the cancer must be persistent or recurrent following antineoplastic therapy.

Cancer is a very unique disease in that sometimes the treatment, not the disease, is what creates the disability. The antineoplastic therapy is defined by Social Security as surgery, irradiation, chemotherapy, hormones, immunotherapy, or bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. Some of those treatments can be harsh enough to keep a person from being able to seek employment.

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Published on: May 27, 2015

Does a Cancer Diagnosis Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits?

By Lisa Siegel

When a cancer patient applies for Social Security Disability benefits, eligibility is determined by using the same criteria as for other disability applicants. Merely having a cancer diagnosis does not immediately make a person eligible for benefits. However, certain types of cancer patients may have the processing of their claims expedited, based on the diagnosis alone.

In order to be eligible for benefits because of cancer, you have to meet certain conditions established by the Social Security Administration. For instance, the cancer must be inoperable, with no potential for control using treatment. It must be recurrent or must have spread. A person suffering from some types of cancer however, may be eligible for expedited claims process approvals.

Persons who suffer from certain types of breast cancer, brain cancer, spinal cord cancer, specific types of mesothelioma, and cancers of the gall bladder, or pancreas, may be eligible for an expedited process in which their claims are approved based on the diagnosis. Additionally, in order to qualify for expedited approval, applicants must provide details of their history, work schedule limits and, in some cases, financial criteria. Claims based on many types of cancer may be expedited under the Compassionate Allowances Program, which allows for expedited benefits approval for certain types of ailments and conditions.

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Published on: December 10, 2014

Pre-surgery Exercise and Diet Help Ease Recovery After Colon Cancer Surgery

By Lisa Siegel

According to new studies, exercising, maintaining a healthy diet and practicing relaxation techniques in the weeks before colon cancer surgery could actually help a person recover quicker.

The results came from a study consisting of 38 patients. These patients were put through a “prehabilitation” program for roughly 24 days. During the prehabilitation, they took part in approximately 50 minutes of physical exercise three days a week, and were administered a personalized nutrition program that included whey protein supplementation. They were also given lessons for relaxation techniques to help reduce stress.

After surgery, patients who were put through the prehabilitation program were compared to another group of patients who were only put through the rehabilitation program, and were not given pre-surgery prep. Researchers found that those patients who had been given prehabilitation preparation before the surgery walked approximately 25 meters longer in six minutes, compared to patients in the group that did not undergo prehabilitation. According to the researchers, this clearly indicates that rehabilitation helps a person recover after a surgery, and better prepares them for the stresses of surgery.

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