Does Kidney Disease or Renal Failure Qualify for Disability in Wisconsin?

When Does Social Security Consider Kidney Disease a Disability?

Social Security includes many forms of kidney disease in its “blue book” of qualifying impairments under listing 6.00 Genitourinary Disorders—Adult.

This section spells out five ways to qualify for disability due to kidney disease or renal failure, including:

1. Suffering from kidney disease and needing chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis

2. Showing signs of reduced kidney function and additional complications

To meet the SSA’s definition of reduced kidney function, you need to show that you have reduced blood filtering (glomerular filtration) through lab tests showing:

• Serum creatinine (waste product in your blood) of 4 mg/dL or greater
• Creatinine clearance of 20 ml/min or less
• Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 mL/min/1.73 m² or less

You’ll need at least two of these readings, taken at least 90 days apart within a consecutive 12-month period.

A claims examiner will also want to see one of the following complications:

• Renal osteodystrophy: Bone degeneration caused by the kidneys being unable to support bone structure and function with the right level of vitamins, minerals and hormones
• Peripheral neuropathy: A nerve disease that causes pain, weakness and numbness when the kidneys can’t adequately filter toxins from the blood
• Fluid overload syndrome: Excess sodium and water retention that can cause vascular congestion, congestive heart failure and hypertension or fatigue
• Anorexia: Diminished appetite with extreme weight loss due to chronic kidney disease

Any of these complications can worsen your kidney disease symptoms, making it difficult to work and support yourself.

3. Suffering from kidney disease and showing signs of nephrotic syndrome (excess protein leaking from blood to urine)

If you have nephrotic syndrome, the SSA will want to see lab tests showing:

• Proteinuria (too much protein in urine) of 10.0 g or greater per 24 hours

OR

• Serum albumin (protein in your blood) of 3.0 g/dL or less along with proteinuria of 3.5 g or greater per 24 hours OR urine total-protein-to-creatinine ratio of 3.5 or greater

You’ll need to provide lab tests documenting these readings on at least two occasions during a consecutive 12-month period, at least 90 days apart.

Your claim will also need to show that you suffer from anasarca, extreme swelling all over your body.

4. Receiving a kidney transplant less than one year ago

If you suffered from kidney disease and received a transplant, Social Security may consider you to have an eligible disability for one year after surgery.

5. Needing multiple hospitalizations from kidney disease complications within a 12-month period

Social Security will look for records that you have been hospitalized at least three times for at least 48 hours each, and that these incidents occurred 30 or more days apart.

Records of hospitalizations and emergency room visits can be crucial to your disability claim.

Even if you don’t meet the above requirements exactly, you may still be able to qualify for disability benefits if you can show that your kidney disease symptoms are severe enough to stop you from working.

A Wisconsin Social Security Disability lawyer can tell you more about your options.

Start with a FREE disability claim consultation.

How Long Does It Take to Get Disability Benefits in Wisconsin?

Social Security Disability claims don’t move through the system quickly. The average processing time is around six months, according to recent SSA data.

Wait times can vary based on factors like the complexity of your case and the size of the disability claim backlog at Social Security.

If you get denied disability benefits, which happens frequently, you’ll have to wait even longer for benefits.

You could be waiting more than 200 days to get a decision during reconsideration, the first stage of appeals.

If you get denied again, the second stage of appeals is a disability hearing. Wisconsinites can expect to wait around eight months for an administrative law judge to be available.

Getting Social Security Disability benefits takes a long time, but there is one option that could speed this process up for some applicants suffering from kidney disease or renal failure.

The Compassionate Allowances program is designed to quickly identify diseases and medical conditions that obviously meet the SSA’s standards for awarding disability benefits because of their severity.

Instead of waiting months to have someone review your claim, Social Security could expedite the process and help you get benefits faster.

Advanced kidney cancer and renal amyloidosis AL type are examples of kidney diseases that could qualify for benefits through the Compassionate Allowances program.

You don’t have to fill out any additional paperwork or forms when you apply. Social Security should automatically flag your claim if you have a qualifying condition.

An Appleton disability attorney can help you with your application and determine whether you could be eligible for this program.