Asthma Disability Benefits

It’s hard to get Social Security disability benefits period but particularly difficult if the primary impairment is asthma. There’s a good reason for this. In almost all cases doctors can prescribe treatments, including medications, that bring things under control so that the patient can get back on with his or her life.

Let me make it clear. Asthma can be a dangerous medical condition. I’ve seen an acute asthma attack and it’s scary even if you’re not the one having it. I can’t imagine how terrifying it is to have such an attack. Untreated, an acute asthma attack can be fatal.

For the few asthma cases that might qualify, Social Security is looking at whether the patient is under medical treatment and whether the patient is taking the meds and the treatments they’re supposed to be taking. They’re looking at how often the patient has an acute asthma attack despite treatment.

Children’s asthma cases are particularly hard to win. Parents are scared to death by that first asthma attack but, again, the doctors do a great job of controlling pediatric asthma if the parents just do what they’re supposed to do.

Asthma can contribute to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) but that’s another matter.