15 • Is your condition lasting? There must be valid reason to believe that your disability is not a temporary condition as a result of a relapse or injury, from which will recover in a year or less. • Is your condition manageable? Are there treatments or accommodations that would allow you to keep working? A qualifying condition must cause substantial limitations even when treatment and reasonable accommodation are used. According to the Social Security Administration, it can take three to five months for your initial application to be processed. When approved for SSDI, payments begin with the sixth month after the established onset of disability. If it took longer than that to get approved, payments are retroactive. For this reason, it is recommended that a person who has a disability that leaves them unable to work, which is expected to last more than one year, should file their application with the SSA as soon as possible after the onset of disability. Applications are taken in person at your local SSA office, online at: www.socialsecurity.gov, or over the phone by calling 800-772-1213. SSDI SSI Basis? Contributions to Social Security Need-based Who qualifies?* - Person who meets - A person who meets Social Security’s standard for Social Security’s disability standard for disability - And has a history of earnings - And has limited income from which deductions were and resources made for Social Security Health coverage provided? Medicare, after two years Medicaid State supplement available? No Yes How are payments Based on the worker’s average Based on the Federal determined? lifetime earnings covered by Benefit Rate. (2019: $750 Social Security. for an individual, $1,125 for a couple.) What reduces payments? Other disability payments (such Any income above and as worker’s compensation or beyond the allowed state disability benefits). deductions. Is there a waiting period Five months from onset of No waiting period. for payment eligibility? disability. * In some circumstances, spouses and children may qualify under a non-disabled worker’s earnings record.