Dolphin
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
DETERMINING DISABILITY: LONG COVID HIGHLIGHTS THE SHORTCOMINGS OF SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION’S APPROACH TO DISABILITY
Sierra Campbell
The Health Law & Policy Brief
VOLUME 18, ISSUE 1
Free fulltext:
https://www.healthlawpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Health-Law-Policy-Brief_Volume-18.1.pdf
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1
II. LONG COVID ........................................................................................................................ 1 A.
Long COVID Overview ...............................................................................................2 B. Long COVID and Federal Civil Rights Law .............................................................. 4 C. Long COVID and the Social Security Administration ................................................. 5
III. SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE (SSDI) ................................................. 6 A. SSDI Overview ............................................................................................................ 6 B. SSDI Process ............................................................................................................... 6
IV. EVASIVE CONDITIONS ANALOGOUS TO LONG COVID ........................................... 9 A. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) ............................................................................. 10 B. Fibromyalgia ............................................................................................................. 11
V. SHORTCOMINGS OF SSA'S APPROACH TO DISABILITY .......................................... 12 A. Discretion and Subjectivity in Establishing the Statutory Definition of Disability ... 12 B. Discretion and Subjectivity in Diagnoses and the Medical Causation Requirement 14 C. Discretion and Subjectivity in Commissioner's Listing of Impairments .................... 19 D. Discretion and Subjectivity in SSA Determinations .................................................. 21 1. Evaluations of Medical Opinions.................................................................... 22 2. Determinations Regarding Credibility of Claimant's Testimony ................... 24 3.
Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) Assessment and Application of Vocational Factors.............................................................................................. 27
VI. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS: MITIGATING SUBJECTIVITY, ADDRESSING INEQUITIES, AND ENSURING SUPPORTS FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES ............ 29 A.
Investments to Promote Health Equity....................................................................... 30 B. Research on Long COVID.......................................................................................... 30 C. Social Security Ruling or Guidance on Long COVID ............................................... 31
D. Legal and Non-Legal Representation throughout Disability Process ...................... 33 E. Procedural Reform to Disability Process .................................................................. 35 F. Creation of Article I Social Security Disability Court ............................................... 36
VII. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 38
Sierra Campbell
The Health Law & Policy Brief
VOLUME 18, ISSUE 1
Free fulltext:
https://www.healthlawpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Health-Law-Policy-Brief_Volume-18.1.pdf
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1
II. LONG COVID ........................................................................................................................ 1 A.
Long COVID Overview ...............................................................................................2 B. Long COVID and Federal Civil Rights Law .............................................................. 4 C. Long COVID and the Social Security Administration ................................................. 5
III. SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE (SSDI) ................................................. 6 A. SSDI Overview ............................................................................................................ 6 B. SSDI Process ............................................................................................................... 6
IV. EVASIVE CONDITIONS ANALOGOUS TO LONG COVID ........................................... 9 A. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) ............................................................................. 10 B. Fibromyalgia ............................................................................................................. 11
V. SHORTCOMINGS OF SSA'S APPROACH TO DISABILITY .......................................... 12 A. Discretion and Subjectivity in Establishing the Statutory Definition of Disability ... 12 B. Discretion and Subjectivity in Diagnoses and the Medical Causation Requirement 14 C. Discretion and Subjectivity in Commissioner's Listing of Impairments .................... 19 D. Discretion and Subjectivity in SSA Determinations .................................................. 21 1. Evaluations of Medical Opinions.................................................................... 22 2. Determinations Regarding Credibility of Claimant's Testimony ................... 24 3.
Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) Assessment and Application of Vocational Factors.............................................................................................. 27
VI. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS: MITIGATING SUBJECTIVITY, ADDRESSING INEQUITIES, AND ENSURING SUPPORTS FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES ............ 29 A.
Investments to Promote Health Equity....................................................................... 30 B. Research on Long COVID.......................................................................................... 30 C. Social Security Ruling or Guidance on Long COVID ............................................... 31
D. Legal and Non-Legal Representation throughout Disability Process ...................... 33 E. Procedural Reform to Disability Process .................................................................. 35 F. Creation of Article I Social Security Disability Court ............................................... 36
VII. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 38
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