Conditions That Qualify for Disability

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten that damages the small intestine. SSA does not have a dedicated listing for celiac disease, so claims are evaluated based on how intestinal damage leads to serious complications like weight loss or malnutrition despite a gluten-free diet.

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a long-term condition in which the liver becomes progressively damaged, impairing its ability to filter toxins, produce proteins, and support digestion. SSA evaluates CLD under Blue Book Listing 5.05, looking at specific complications and functional consequences of the disease. If you have had a liver transplant, SSA automatically considers you disabled for one year from the transplant date under Listing 5.09, after which any remaining impairments are evaluated separately.

Chronic pancreatitis is long-term inflammation of the pancreas that can cause severe pain, malnutrition, and weight loss. SSA does not have a dedicated listing for this condition, so claims are evaluated based on how its complications — such as significant weight loss or nutritional deficiency — affect your ability to work.

Gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhaging is serious internal bleeding that occurs in the digestive tract — including the esophagus, stomach, or intestines — and can result from many different underlying causes. SSA evaluates GI hemorrhaging under Blue Book Listing 5.02, which focuses on how frequently and severely someone has required blood transfusions due to bleeding episodes. If your condition has led to multiple major transfusions within a specific time period, SSA may consider you disabled for a defined period while also looking at any lasting effects of your condition afterward.

Gastroparesis is a condition where the stomach empties too slowly, causing nausea, vomiting, and malnutrition. SSA has no dedicated listing for gastroparesis, so claims are evaluated based on how the condition affects your weight, nutrition, and ability to work.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) — which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis — is a chronic condition involving ongoing inflammation of the digestive tract. SSA evaluates IBD claims under Blue Book Listing 5.06, which requires that the condition be documented through medical tests such as endoscopy, biopsy, imaging, or surgical findings. To meet SSA's criteria, your records must show not only a confirmed IBD diagnosis but also that your condition meets one of several specific sets of functional or clinical requirements laid out in the listing.

Intestinal failure is a serious condition in which the digestive system can no longer absorb enough nutrients and fluids to sustain life. SSA evaluates intestinal failure under Blue Book Listing 5.07, which focuses on whether the condition has forced you to depend on daily nutrition delivered directly into your bloodstream through a central venous catheter — a process called parenteral nutrition. To meet the listing, SSA requires that this dependence has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least 12 months and that it stems from short bowel syndrome, a chronic motility disorder, or extensive small bowel mucosal disease.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic digestive condition causing abdominal pain, cramping, and unpredictable diarrhea or constipation. SSA has no dedicated listing for IBS, so claims are evaluated based on how severely your symptoms limit your ability to work consistently.