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"How to Apply For—and Receive—Your SSDI: Long COVID makes it tricky. Know the rules"

https://longcovidmd.substack.com/p/you-may-qualify-for-ssdi

Blog with linked video recording.
Most of the advice is specific to SSDI rather than more generally useful internationally

Also useful for other spoonies

#LongCovid #MEcfs #Spoonies
#Spoonie #POTS @pots #PwME #ME #MyalgicE
@mecfs
@longcovid

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“Social Security evaluates whether your condition limits activities like sitting, standing, concentrating, lifting, walking, or sustaining cognitive effort throughout a workday.”

Barbara points out most physicians don’t document these limitations unless patients actively describe them. (contd)”

#mecfs #longcovid #pots
@pots @mecfs @longcovid

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“(Contd) She strongly recommends symptom journaling—tracking fatigue, PEM, dysautonomia, and cognitive crashes—and bringing those to appointments so they become part of your medical chart.”

#CFS #LongCovid @pots @mecfs @longcovid

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“Social Security then looks at the actual demands of the work you used to do. This includes physical stamina, cognitive load, reliability, and the ability to sustain attention and attendance consistently.

Barbara describes how many people with long COVID can sometimes perform isolated tasks, but cannot reliably function at the level required for full-time employment.”

#LongCovid #mecfs #cfs
@pots @mecfs @longcovid

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“That means denials are extremely common for complex chronic illnesses and should not be interpreted as personal insult. A denial does not mean Social Security believes you are lying, exaggerating, or mentally unstable. In most cases, appeals are simply expected.”

#disability #mecfs #longcovid
@pots @mecfs @longcovid

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“The medical impairment(s) must be shown to exist by means of medically acceptable clinical and laboratory findings.

Under the law, symptoms alone cannot be the basis for a finding of disability, although the effects of symptoms may be an important factor in deciding whether an individual is disabled.” — Long COVID, a Guide For Health Professionals

#mecfs #longcovid #pots #chronicillness
@pots @mecfs @longcovid