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Social Security disability process

Ms. Comerford gave some background on why the SSA ruling SSR 99-2p was issued on April 10, 1999. (N.B. This ruling has been superceded by SSR 14-1p "Titles II and XVI: Social Security Rulings: Evaluating Claims Involving Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" of April 3, 2014. See the article "Major 2014 Social Security Ruling Establishes New Standards for Documenting ME/CFS Social Security Disability Claims/Reviews"  for more detail.)

According to the SSA, the purpose of the 1999 ruling was to “restate and clarify the policies of the Social Security Administration for developing and evaluating title II and title XVI claims for disability on the basis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also frequently known as Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).”

She explained that the CFIDS Association of America (CAA) had requested guidelines from the SSA for adjudicating CFS cases when it was learned that an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) had written a memorandum to the chief ALJ basically stating that the CFS cases could never win because there was no objective medical basis for the diagnosis.

At the time, the SSA Commissioner, Susan Daniels, wrote a response basically saying just because the science has not caught up with the illness does not mean these people are not disabled and that the SSA needs to look at these cases slightly differently. SSR 99-2p is the guideline the SSA created for evaluating CFS cases. Every disability case is reviewed according to a 5-step process regardless of illness type. Ms. Comerford has written many articles on this process. To learn more, go to her website at www. tristatedisabilitylaw.com where her articles are posted.

The five things evaluated for every claimant under the Sequential Evaluation Process require:

  1. That you not be engaged in substantial gainful activity;
  2. That the medical impairment be documented with medical signs and lab findings;
  3. That it be determined if an applicant’s illness meets or equals an “Impairment Listing”; Ms Comerford explained that this listing has 14 bodily systems and CFS is not among any of them, causing CFS cases to be evaluated in subsequent steps;
  4. That you cannot perform your past work;
  5. That the SSA has to prove there are no jobs that the claimant can do at any level, in light of his or her age, education, work experience and the limitations imposed by CFS.

Ms. Comerford explained why the SSA looks at the above list and what they are looking at with regards to CFS patients. Under SSR 99-2p, the SSA is looking at:

  • Can the patient satisfy the Fukuda 1994 Definition of CFS that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) uses?
  • Does the patient have medical evidence in lab work that something is wrong?  Some but not all examples are: autonomic dysfunction; postural tachycardia; neuropsychological testing which can show the slowed cognitive function or slowed processing of the brain; a positive tilt table test; Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) activation; Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV6) activation, Fibromyalgia tender point exam.
  • Is there clinical longitudinal documentation by the physician that shows there is an impairment in functioning? This is CRUCIAL and the problem is most doctors DO NOT keep these types of records.

She also pointed out that there are two things that are important for the patient to have:

  • a physician willing to do the NECESSARY paperwork required for SSDI (most won’t);
  • a physician who BELIEVES in the patient and the illness and is willing to fight for the patient.

Ms. Comerford said that as expensive as it is, and most likely not covered by insurance, neuropsychological testing is one of the best ways to show slow brain processing and the cognitive impairment associated with CFS before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

It is important for the patient to have a good lawyer who not only understands this illness but who is also able to frame the case in a manner the ALJ can understand. For instance, the lawyer may be able to make the case that decreased brain and cognitive function can impact the claimant’s ability on the job. This then would help document a disability. Or a patient who has Orthostatic Hypotension and can’t sit or stand up for more than a few minutes at a time would also be considered as having a disability.