Can a Child with Asthma Receive Disability Benefits?
If your child has asthma, your highest priority is getting them the treatment and medication they need to alleviate their symptoms and combat asthma attacks.
But for some families, paying for asthma treatments may be difficult. Annual treatments for asthma can cost families $3,000-5,000 a year, or more in severe cases. Untreated asthma can go on to cause more health complications and hospitalizations, adding to the financial burden.
If you struggle to meet monthly living expenses while paying for your child’s asthma treatments on your income, you may be able to receive compensation through the Social Security Administration (SSA).
A Child’s Resources
Social Security disability benefits are based on (upon many other things) how many years a person has worked a wage-earning job. Obviously, children don’t earn wages. Therefore, they aren’t eligible for Social Security disability benefits.
However, they may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI is a monthly payment to help supplement the income of disabled children and adults. As dependents, children can earn SSI if the income of their parent(s) is below the income limit.
Financial limits are the first major hurdle. For your child to be eligible for SSI, you must also show that your child’s asthma meets the SSA requirements for disability.
Gauging Severity; Gathering Evidence
Generally, when you’re applying for SSD benefits, you must provide a slew of medical evidence from professional caregivers. This comes into play even more when the applicant is a child.
First, the SSA will examine whether or not your child’s asthma poses a severe occupational hindrance. This doesn’t mean your child has to have a job. Rather, the SSA will consider whether or not the asthma prevents your child from functioning normally for their age group. Does the condition dictate every facet of your child’s life? Does asthma prevent them from completing tasks or interacting with other children?
Next, the SSA will want clarification on how long your child’s asthma has lasted or is expected to last. Most cases require the condition to have lasted for at least a year or to be expected to last for a year.
In order to make sure your child’s condition is severe enough to qualify for SSI, the SSA will examine their medical history. You should have as much medical evidence as you can proving the severity of your child’s asthma. The SSA will use the medical records to gauge whether or not you have been treating your child for asthma, and if there is potential for more severe symptoms further on.
Help from a Muncie Social Security Disability Benefits Lawyer
Applying for SSI can feel like an insurmountable task, especially if you are also caring for a child with asthma. If you or someone you know has a child with asthma and are struggling to make ends meet, Hensley Legal Group may be able to help. Call us today or contact us online for a free conversation about your claim. Our Muncie disability benefits lawyers are here for you.
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