Q: Can I receive SSDI for my new disabilities without interfering with my current payments?
I am currently receiving SSDI for Bipolar disorder, and have been for about 6 years now. My question is: about three years ago I was diagnosed with bone spurs and osteoarthritis in my spine, and just recently diagnosed with diverticulitis.
I was wondering if i could receive SSDI under these new disabilities without interfering with my current payments? The reason is they still every few years make me go to a psychologist and be evaluated again, and each time I get scared they will discontinue my payment as they don’t think bipolar is a permanent disability which it is.
I’m slowly losing my balance and ability to walk and I’m in great pain daily do to my back pain and the pain in my bowels. I was thinking if I could receive SSDI under my physical disability that would be better than mental disability.
A: The answer is that Social Security doesn’t work that way.
When you apply, you are either found disabled or not based on the conditions you had at the time you were approved for benefits. You can’ t “add” conditions to the list once you’ve been approved for benefits.
If social security decides to review you to see if you’re still disabled, they should take into consideration any new medical conditions you may have developed since the time that you were first found disabled.
Also, there is no particular condition or type of condition that works better in the Social Security disability system. Being found disabled for a physical condition vs. a mental one doesn’t have any advantages.
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