Women or men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and find that their condition no longer allows them to work may be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits.
It’s very normal for a person to be traumatized, concerned and stressed after any cancer diagnosis. There are doctor appointments to get to, treatment options to consider, and financial stresses to contend with. Among those financial considerations is the issue of whether you are eligible for Social Security disability benefits.
Social Security does provide for disability benefits for persons suffering from cancer. However, merely a cancer diagnosis on its own will not make you eligible for benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. The Social Security Administration will consider your cancer a qualifying disability if you are not capable of performing the work that you did before being diagnosed with cancer, and if the cancer makes it difficult for you to do certain types of work. Also, your cancer must have lasted, or be expected to last, for at least 12 months, or to result in death for you to be eligible for benefits.
As that definition indicates, if your cancer is a less severe form of breast cancer, you may not be eligible for benefits. It is important to speak to an experienced Social Security disability attorney to understand whether you are eligible for disability benefits and what you need to do to secure them as quickly as possible.
As part of your claim, you will most likely be required to provide medical evidence of the cancer, tumor, or carcinoma. It’s highly recommended that you meet with your doctor and discuss the various medical terminology that will be used during your treatment.
If your breast cancer is a severe or aggressive form of cancer, you may also be eligible for expedited processing of your claim under the Compassionate Allowances program. This program allows for fast determination of benefit eligibility.