If your child has type 1 diabetes, your family might be eligible for financial assistance through disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers benefits for people of all ages who are unable to work or participate in typical childhood activities due to an illness. Childhood diabetes may medically qualify, but technical eligibility for disability benefits can be challenging to meet.
Learn more about financial assistance for your diabetes by clicking the button below.
Medical Eligibility for Disability Benefits with type 1 diabetes
The SSA maintains its own medical criteria for eligibility online, known colloquially as the Blue Book. There is an entire chapter of the Blue Book dedicated to qualifying for disability benefits with type 1 diabetes. The listing can be found in Section 109 of the Blue Book.
Under this listing, any child under age 6 will medically qualify for disability benefits if he or she requires insulin daily.
What if your child’s age 6 or older? Older children may still be eligible for SSI disability benefits with type 1 diabetes, but the SSA will need a little more evidence proving the disability warrants aid. Social Security may consider things like how long the child has had diabetes, the maturity of the child, if the child can recognize when they are going low, as well as if the child has any intellectual disability or attention deficit.
You may also qualify if you are able to show that your child has complications caused by diabetes.
For example, the SSA may approve older children with diabetes who also have cardiac arrhythmias, intestinal necrosis, or seizures. Older children may develop mood disorders like depression or anxiety, which are both qualifying conditions if the disorder is severe. A child needing 24-hour-per-day supervision due to diabetes will also qualify after age 6.
The entire Blue Book can be found online, so if your child is older than 6 but still requires daily insulin, simply review the Blue Book with your child’s pediatrician to determine if he or she would be eligible.
If you live in Canada, consider applying for the Disability Tax Credit.
Technical Eligibility for Benefits
Children under age 18 are only eligible for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI benefits. SSI is awarded to families with a dire financial need for help. This means that if your family’s monthly income is too high, you will not qualify. The larger your family, the higher your income limits.
For example, a single parent with one child couldn’t earn much more than $38,000 per year (before taxes) while qualifying for SSI. A two-parent household with three children, on the other hand, could earn up to $55,000. The SSA has a chart online outlining exactly how much your family can earn per month while still qualifying for SSI.
Unfortunately, income limits are the top reason why children with type 1 diabetes are denied benefits. The good news is that once your child turns 18, your income no longer counts towards his or her income limit, even if your child still lives at home.
Are Adults with Type 1 Diabetes eligible for SSI?
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there must be serious complications from type 1 diabetes to get Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance as an adult.
The ADA further states that “Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), is for people who have worked for five of the last 10 years and meet the SSA definition of disability. SSDI offers assistance to help you return to work and provides ongoing income if you do not get better. When you receive SSDI you can also qualify for Medicare and prescription drug assistance.
Supplemental Security Income program (SSI), is available to individuals who have limited
income and resources, and are considered disabled by the Social Security Administration. SSI
provides a monthly assistance check. Medicaid is a health care program for people with low
incomes.”
Starting Your Application
The first step for any parent hoping to apply for disability benefits is to review the Child Disability Starter Kit online on the SSA’s website. Here you can find information on all the documents you’ll need on hand to successfully apply for SSI benefits.
To apply on behalf of a child or yourself, you’ll need to make an appointment with your local SSA office. There are 1,300 Social Security offices located across the country. Call the SSA toll free at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment to apply at your closest office.
Helpful Links:
- Diabetes: https://www.disability-benefits-help.org/disabling-conditions/diabetes-and-social-security-disability
- Blue Book for Childhood Diabetes: https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/109.00-Endocrine-Childhood.htm#109_08
- All Childhood Listings: https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/ChildhoodListings.htm
- SSI Family Income Limits: https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-child-ussi.htm
- Nationwide SSA Offices: https://www.disability-benefits-help.org/social-security-disability-locations
- Child Disability Starter Kit: https://www.ssa.gov/disability/disability_starter_kits_child_eng.htm
Cendy Moliere
Guest Blogger
Another reason Canada Rocks !!!!
Actually, this post came from a US writer but in Canada, children with type 1 diabetes are eligible for a disability amount to be added to their monthly child tax credit which can be a help too!
Exactly, Rick! 🙂 (T1 since 1974)
I am the mother of a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on October 26 2020. My situation has always been a challenge due to being the sole provider for myself and 2 children. I have no family support system nor any other type of relief that would be a nice benefit from a second party. My little girl requires me to monitor her sugar and feed her and count carbs and inject insulin with a shot for each meal and a bedtime shot. I was already experiencing great loss and restricted ability to change my situation due to Covid 19.i lost my employment June 6 2020. I held my position at Guardian Glass for 2 years and was unexpectedly terminated during the worst stage of the pandemic. I had gone from security to nothing overnight. I went without income for a long period and my Bill’s got behind, my furniture was repossessed unfairly I will add . I suffered credit decreases and I worked hard to obtain my 100% payment history on time. Now I have lost another job that I recently started after just becoming employed. I am stressed out and got no option for what to do. I was wondering if I qualify for some kind of disability even if temporary until I learn more about diabetes and my child and the way it’s affecting her life and her self period. She has gone from being the super hero and got it all together two angry and annoying and doesn’t care to care what happens around or to her. I also have a 14 year old with social anxiety disorder and I have to add that her condition is much more complex than a social issue. She has always been been a very different than others child. Not necessarily bad but challenging. Melly has mood swings and anger issues and person space and control disorder. She has always been a demanding bossy directive person. She doesn’t like to be approached and will come to you when she needs something or has a use to communicate with someone for a moment. So I have a emotionally unstable teenage daughter who I know will grow up and get past this stage in time but until then I have to manage her ever changing moods and her plans for the future. Melody is a withdrawalned angry, sad, and yet comfortable with her world. I worked 3 shift so my girls would be sleeping while I was working and school while I was sleeping. Now I can’t leave my youngest due to levels dropping as she sleeps and I keep check of her sugar and hopefully catch and treat it to prevent major complications. Do I sound like a person who qualifies for disability or temporary disability benefits until everything gets better?
Hi Melissa. The benefits that you could be entitled to would depend upon where you live. In Canada, your child would qualify for the addition of a disabled child benefit. In the US, there is the possibility of her qualify for disability benefits. Check out this post to see if it may apply to you https://www.diabetesadvocacy.com/qualifying-for-disability-benefits/
We have a very similar situation. I have 3 daughters, 9.10 and 15 (next week). yrs old. My youngest was diagnosed T1 almost 5 years ago. Single mom, evicted during Covid, but stuck at home not being able to work, and failing at school because I have too much going on.
My daughter is now 21. she has had type 1 diabetic since she was 12 and has severe psoriasis. Would she qualify for any kind of assistance? She is a struggling college student.
It is unlikely that she would qualify at the moment. I would look into scholarships or grants that help college students. It may offer some small relief for her.
I have a 2yo that was just diagnosed with type 1 and is insulin dependent. Does the income limit apply since he’s under 6?
My understanding is that because of his age, he will qualify without an income limit. You may wish to double check with your local ADA for clarification.