Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be challenging, and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can affect a person’s ability to work. Joint problems can make it hard to perform the tasks of a job, such as using repetitive motions or being able to grip or grasp items appropriately. Fatigue and mobility issues may require a person to stay home and miss work for extended periods of time. When rheumatoid arthritis is making it impossible for you to do your job, it may be time to apply for disability benefits.

If you have short-term or long-term disability insurance through your current employer or you have an individual disability insurance policy, you can typically receive a portion of your monthly salary when you can’t work. Another option, for those without such plans, are two federal programs: Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Applying for Disability Can Be Daunting

For an employee seeking short- or long-term disability benefits from an insurance plan, the process is typically to fill out paperwork, including relevant medical paperwork, that clearly shows why benefits are needed. Applying for disability through the federal program, in contrast, can be a detailed, bureaucratic process and people are often denied after their first application. It’s possible, however, to appeal and to ultimately get approved for disability benefits.

“There are challenges, especially for anyone with what they call ‘invisible disabilities,’” says Qasim Amin Nathari, of Jacksonville, Florida, who lives with chronic migraine. Nathari is a former municipal worker turned writer who is also a member of the Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF), an organization that seeks to improve quality of life for people living with chronic illness. It took three years, an appeals process, and help from an attorney before Nathari was awarded disability benefits through the SSDI program.

Depending on your symptoms and the course of your disease, it may not be quite as difficult for you to secure disability benefits. But rheumatoid arthritis can be an invisible disability — that is, a physical disability that’s not immediately evident — and you’ll likely need perseverance throughout this process.

Who Qualifies for Disability Benefits?

Disability insurance policies have their own definitions of what counts as “disability” but typically a person is considered disabled if they can no longer perform either the job they had before becoming disabled, or any job.

For those without a group plan or policy, there is the Social Security Disability Insurance program offered by the Social Security Administration. Per the agency's website, people can apply for SSDI if they are 18 or older, aren’t already receiving Social Security benefits, have worked in jobs covered by social security, and have not already been denied in the last 60 days. (Those who have been denied can appeal the decision; see the section How to Appeal a Disability Benefit Denial, below.)

The Social Security Administration does not pay for partial disability or for short-term disability. You are considered to have a qualifying disability if:

You can no longer work and engage in substantial gainful activity due to your medical condition.
You can’t do the work you did previously or other work because of your medical condition.
Your condition has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.

To get SSDI disability benefits, you must meet two different earnings tests. You need to show that you have worked both recently enough and long enough under Social Security, according to the SSA’s Disability Benefits guide. (You can download the guide, which outlines the entire process.)

The SSI program pays benefits to adults and children who have a qualifying disability and have limited income and resources. The medical requirements are the same as those for the SSDI program.

The Disability Benefits Application Process

If you’re seeking payment through disability insurance, make sure you provide all the paperwork requested and do what is asked of you.

For benefits through Social Security, you can apply online, in person, or on the phone. The SSDI and SSI applications require a lot of personal and medical documentation and information; you can find a downloadable checklist of what's needed on the SSA’s site. It’s best to gather this information before you begin the application process.

“Don’t get discouraged with the amount of forms and questions you are required to answer and take your time replying to those questions,” says J.P. Summers, a patient advocate and community outreach manager at CreakyJoints, which aims to support and educate arthritis patients. Summers, who splits her time between Wisconsin and Texas, received disability benefits through SSDI. “The information needs to be as precise and transparent as possible if you want the person intercepting your request to understand the full extent of your medical condition.”

Summers also offers this advice: “To prepare for filling out the SSDI application, you will need to know the dates of each medical appointment you’ve had since the start of your debilitating condition. [You can print out a list of appointments] from each of your medical providers to document those visits. It is vital that you account for each obstacle you've faced trying to navigate your life with the symptoms that developed as a result of your condition. [A good way to do this is] keeping a journal or calendar where you can write those instances down and refer to it, if needed, for an appeal. The more details you share, the better for the person receiving the application to get the full picture of how your life has been affected by your health.”

Once you apply, you’re paired with Social Security representatives to help you throughout the application process, according to the SSA. It typically takes three to six months for an initial decision about an application; the SSA recommends applying as soon as you become disabled. There’s a five-month waiting period, meaning that payments won’t begin before the sixth full month of disability.

Loop Your Doctor Into the Application Process Early

Crucial for applying for any disability program is filling out all the paperwork completely. Talk to your diagnosing physician early — before you apply — as well as any other physicians who can support the application. Per the SSA, your application must include the names and contact information of your healthcare providers, dates of examinations, medical tests, and treatments, as well as a list of your medications with details on who prescribed them, when, and why.

“You must be thorough when providing evidence of each appointment you’ve had with a medical provider, listing each symptom, and what you are not able to do because of that particular symptom,” says Summers. “Those details paint the picture of how your day-to-day is for someone with a health condition seeking disability benefits.”

One resource to use to track RA symptoms and how they affect day-to-day function is the Arthritis Power app, which can maintain a digital record of symptoms. This may make it easier to send information to your doctor.

Should You Seek the Help of an Advocate?

It depends on your situation. Summers says that not everyone needs an advocate. “I was capable of navigating through the paperwork then participating in a phone call meeting with the Social Security representative to answer their questions. If you are not coherent due to debilitating symptoms during the application process or if you get a denial after filing your forms with the Social Security office, that would be the time to check into an advocate, social worker, or attorney.”

Based on his own experience, Nathari recommends looking into “hiring or retaining a disability lawyer because the process can be so messy and they have a way of being able to streamline it.”

A social worker can also offer resources to strengthen an application. The National Association of Social Workers offers its Help Starts Here website, where you can find a qualified social worker to assist with various concerns.

The SSA has information on how to find someone to work with, as well as tips for those who are representing the applicant.

How to Appeal a Disability Benefit Denial

Denials are common; applications may lack information, either from a patient or a medical professional. It’s important not to get discouraged. You must request an appeal in writing within 60 days of receiving a decision from the SSA.

There are four levels to the appeal process, per the SSA; you may not have to go through all of them. To begin with, you can ask the SSA to reconsider; you can do this online or via mail or fax. Next, you can request a hearing with an administrative law judge if you disagree with the response to your request for reconsideration. You can then seek a review with the Appeals Council if you disagree with your judge’s decision. Lastly, if you don’t agree with the Appeals Council, you can file a federal district court action.

“Have plenty of patience,” says Nathari. “It’s going to be a long haul and there will be times when you’re frustrated.”

Don’t let the prospect of a difficult process scare you away from filing an initial application or appealing a denied one. Remember that as a worker, you are paying into these benefits and have a right to them when needed.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Disability Applications: What to Know