Residual Functional Capacity

Published on: December 31, 2018

THE CHALLENGES INVOLVED IN APPLYING FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR HYPERTENSION

As many as 1 in 4 Americans are believed to suffer from hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Those with hypertension have high blood pressure levels, even when they are at rest. There are several challenges involved in applying for benefits for hypertension. First, the Social Security Administration (SSA) no longer includes the condition in its impairments book that qualifies for benefits. Also, your condition may not meet the disability criteria of the agency.

However, you may still be able to qualify for benefits. In order to qualify for disability benefits for hypertension, you will be required to provide detailed and accurate medical information. Your doctor must provide a treatment summary or notes testifying to your condition, including any current treatment for your hypertension. If you have been admitted into the hospital any time in the past after a spike in your blood pressure levels, this information must be relayed to the SSA too. Blood test results, as well as the results of CT scans and MRI scans, if available, must also be presented as evidence.

Remember, you may be able to qualify for benefits if your Residual Function Capacity shows that you face restrictions on the amount of work you can do. For instance, if your hypertension causes heart dysfunction, and restricts your ability to work to just about two hours of physical activity a day, it can severely limit your ability to work and earn an income.

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Published on: October 11, 2016

Criteria for Social Security Disability Benefits for Hearing Loss

By Lisa Siegel

The Social Security Administration (SSA) makes it possible for persons with hearing loss to qualify for benefits. However, the level of hearing loss must be severe or profound. Mild or moderate hearing loss typically does not qualify for benefits.

If your hearing loss has not resulted in you getting a cochlear implant, you must undergo either an audiometry test or a word recognition test to determine if you qualify for benefits. The autometry test must prove that your hearing threshold is worse than or equal to 90 decibels (dB). In the word recognition test, your score must be a maximum of 40% in the better ear. These tests must be conducted without the use of hearing aids.

If, however, you have cochlear implants in either one or both ears, you will automatically qualify for disability benefits. These benefits will last for up to one year after the initial determination. If your word recognition score continues to remain below or at 60%, your benefits will be extended beyond that period of time.

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Published on: December 31, 2015

Residual Functional Capacity: How Does it Impact My Claim?

By Lisa Siegel

The disability benefits application process can be difficult and confusing. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will conduct an assessment of your ability to perform certain tasks before it makes a determination of your disability and benefit payments.

The agency does this by conducting a residual functional assessment of what you can continue to do. It will also evaluate whether you are capable of working in some other capacity or in a different field than your previous one. The assessment will be conducted by a disability claims examiner together with a medical expert.

The assessment will focus on whether you can perform different levels of activity. For example, it will evaluate whether your disability allows you to perform sedentary activity that involves a lot of sitting and occasional standing or walking, or if you are capable of light work. Being able to perform light work generally means that you are able to lift up to 20 pounds frequently. You must also be able to stand and walk about frequently.

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