Digestive System

There are many symptoms of digestive disorders that can prevent you from being able to perform your daily work. There are six broad categories of digestive conditions which the Blue Book addresses. These are:

• Short bowel syndrome
• Chronic liver disease
• Gastrointestinal hemorrhaging that requires a blood transfusion
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Weight loss caused by any digestive disorder
• Liver transplant
• Chronic Liver Disease

The SSA will need to see medical imaging, such as X Rays or endoscopy. To qualify, your CLD must have caused hospitalization and a need for a blood transfusion (minimum two units). Alternately, you may be eligible if your CLD has required shunts, is terminal (end stage), or can be shown to have affected your mental health significantly.

Gastrointestinal Hemorrhaging

To qualify for disability, you must require at least three blood transfusions of two units or more during a period of six months. Additionally, to count as separate transfusions, the transfusions must be at least 30 days from one another.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

To qualify with IBD, you must have documentation of an endoscopy, medical imaging, or biopsy. Your condition must have required hospitalization twice within six months (to be considered separate hospitalizations, they must be sixty days apart).

Liver Transplants

If you have received a liver transplant, you will be considered completely disabled for at least one full year after your transplant. Your disability will be periodically reviewed after the year is past.

Short Bowel Syndrome

To qualify, more than half of your small intestine must be removed.

Weight Loss from Digestive Disorders

To qualify, you must be under treatment and follow all prescribed treatments. Additionally, your Body Mass Index must be less than 17.50.

If your digestive disorder does not fall into one of these categories, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you aren’t qualified for disability benefits. It simply means that your disability can’t be evaluated directly using the Blue Book and SSA representatives will need to evaluate how your condition impacts your ability to perform typical work-related tasks.