Diabetes and Qualifying for Disability Benefits
512-454-4000 Author: Attorney Lonnie Roach
Updated: 11/14/2025
Can I get disability benefits if I am suffering from the effects of Diabetes?
First you must meet the SSA’s financial requirement:
You must have worked long enough, recently enough, and not made over a predetermined level of income.
Second you must meet the medical requirements:
Social Security does not have a specific listing for Diabetes; however, you may be able to qualify if you have uncontrolled diabetes that has severely limited your functional abilities or complications from diabetes match the requirements of a listed impairment.
For example, your medical condition may be similar to the requirements of the following listed impairments:
- Diabetic nephropathy (Listing 6.06). Kidneys no longer working properly, requiring daily dialysis.
- Diabetic peripheral neuropathies (Listing 11.14). Nerve damage impacting ability to walk, stand or use hands.
- Poorly healing skin and bacterial infections (Listing 8.04).
- Cardiovascular problems (Listings 4.02, 4.04, 4.05, 4.12). Coronary artery disease,
chronic heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, and irregular heartbeat.
- Diabetic retinopathy (Listing 2.00). Blurred vision or poor visual acuity.
chronic heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, and irregular heartbeat.
Qualifying for Disability Benefits with Diabetes: A Comprehensive Guide
Living with diabetes can be challenging, particularly when the condition becomes severe enough to impact your ability to work and maintain employment.
For many individuals with diabetes, disability benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA) provide crucial financial support when they can no longer work due to their condition. This guide explores the process of qualifying for disability benefits with diabetes, the medical and financial requirements, and what steps to take if your initial application is denied.
Table of Contents:
1. Functional Challenges Related to Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, whether Type 1 or Type 2, can cause a wide range of functional challenges that may impair your ability to work.
These challenges include:
Physical limitations:
- Severe fatigue and weakness that can make it difficult to maintain consistent work hours
- Frequent need for breaks to check blood sugar levels, administer insulin, or eat snacks
- Mobility issues due to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) or foot ulcers
- Vision impairment from diabetic retinopathy
- Difficulty performing physical labor due to poor circulation or neuropathy, especially in the extremities
Cognitive challenges:
- Difficulty concentrating during episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Memory problems and brain fog associated with blood sugar fluctuations
- Slowed reaction time, which can be dangerous in certain occupations
When diabetes reaches a severity that these functional challenges prevent you from working, you may qualify for disability benefits.
2. Diabetes in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book
The SSA maintains a listing of impairments, commonly referred to as the “Blue Book,” which outlines the medical criteria for qualifying for disability benefits. Interestingly, diabetes itself is no longer listed as a standalone impairment in the Blue Book.
Prior to 2011, diabetes was listed under Section 9.00 (Endocrine Disorders), but it was removed as a separate listing in updates to the manual.
However, this does not mean you cannot qualify for disability benefits with diabetes. Instead, the SSA evaluates diabetes based on its effects on your body systems.
Diabetes-related complications may qualify under several different listings:
- Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease) – Section 6.00 (Genitourinary Disorders)
- Diabetic retinopathy (eye disease) – Section 2.00 (Special Senses and Speech)
- Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) – Section 11.00 (Neurological Disorders)
- Cardiovascular complications – Section 4.00 (Cardiovascular System)
- Diabetic gastroparesis – Section 5.00 (Digestive System)
- Amputations due to diabetes – Section 1.00 (Musculoskeletal System)
To qualify under any of these listings, you must demonstrate that your diabetes-related condition meets the specific criteria outlined in that section.
For example, to qualify under the neurological listing for neuropathy, you would need to show significant motor function limitations or severe neuropathy in two extremities causing a sustained disturbance of gross and dexterous movements or gait and station.
3. Qualifying Without Meeting a Specific Listing
Many people with diabetes may not meet the exact criteria of a Blue Book listing, but may still be unable to work due to their condition.
In such cases, the SSA can approve benefits based on a “medical-vocational allowance.”
This approach considers:
- Your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) – what you can still do despite your limitations
- Your age, education, and work experience
- Transferable skills to other occupations
To qualify through this pathway, the SSA will assess whether your diabetes substantially limits your ability to perform basic work activities.
Your doctor will need to document specific limitations such as:
- Inability to stand or walk for extended periods
- Need for unscheduled breaks to manage blood sugar
- Difficulty using hands due to neuropathy
- Vision restrictions that limit certain tasks
- Concentration difficulties due to blood sugar fluctuations
Your RFC assessment might include restrictions like “cannot stand for more than 15 minutes at a time” or “requires a 10-minute break every hour to check blood sugar and administer medication.”
If these restrictions are severe enough that they preclude you from performing any substantial gainful work, you may qualify for benefits even without meeting a specific listing.
“Once Social Security determines the limitations caused by your condition, they will employ a vocational expert to assess whether a person with these limitations is employable. Most vocational experts will find a person to be unemployable if their condition or the treatment rendered for the condition causes the person to regularly be absent two or more days a month or be “off-task” 15% or more of the workday.”
4. Multiple Health Conditions with Diabetes
Having multiple health conditions alongside diabetes can significantly strengthen your disability claim.
The SSA is required to consider the combined effect of all your medical conditions, not just each condition in isolation.
Common co-occurring conditions with diabetes include:
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Heart disease
- Depression and anxiety
- Sleep apnea
- Arthritis
The cumulative impact of these conditions may render you unable to work, even if each condition individually might not qualify you for benefits.
For example, diabetes-related fatigue combined with pain from arthritis and breathing difficulties from obesity might make even sedentary work impossible.
When applying, be sure to list ALL of your medical conditions and how they affect you in combination.
Provide thorough medical documentation for each condition and explain how they interact to limit your functioning.
Disability for Multiple Impairments ->
5. Financial Requirements for Social Security Disability Benefits
In order to qualify for disability benefits you must first meet the SSA’s financial requirements:
To qualify for SSDI, you must have:
- Worked long enough and recently enough to earn sufficient work credits
- Earned income below the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level during the period of disability
For 2026, the SGA limit is:
- $1,690 per month for non-blind individuals
- $2,830 per month for blind individuals
Work credits are based on your annual earnings.
In 2026, you earn one credit for each $1,890 in wages or self-employment income. You can earn up to four credits per year.
The number of work credits needed depends on your age when you become disabled:
- Under 24 years: Generally need 6 credits earned in the 3-year period before disability
- 24-31 years: Need credits for half the time between age 21 and when you became disabled
- 31 years or older: Generally need 20 credits in the 10 years before disability
In order to qualify, your disability must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death, and you must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity.
SSDI Financial Requirements ->
6. The Appeal Process if Initially Denied
Being denied disability benefits for diabetes is common, especially on the first application. Don’t be discouraged—many successful claims go through one or more appeals.
The appeal process includes several levels:
1. Reconsideration
- Must be requested within 60 days of denial
- A different disability examiner reviews your case
- Approval rates at this stage remain low (approximately 10-15%)
- Takes about 3-5 months on average, (timeframes vary by region)
2. Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Hearing
- Must be requested within 60 days of reconsideration denial
- This is your best opportunity to win your case (approval rates of 40-60%)
- You present your case before an Administrative Law Judge
- Takes about 6-8 months to schedule (timeframes vary by region)
3. Appeals Council Review
- Must be requested within 60 days of ALJ denial
- The Appeals Council can affirm, reverse, or remand the ALJ’s decision
- Approval rates are very low at this stage
4. Federal Court Review
- Must file in U.S. District Court within 60 days of Appeals Council denial
- Requires filing a lawsuit against the SSA
- Almost always requires an attorney
- Can take 1-2 years for resolution
At the reconsideration and ALJ appeal level, you can submit additional medical evidence to strengthen your case.
New test results, treatment records, or statements from your doctors about how diabetes affects your daily functioning can be crucial.
The Disability Appeals Process ->
7. The Appeal Hearing Process
The Administrative Law Judge hearing is the most critical stage of the appeals process.
In 2025, most hearings are conducted via video or telephone conference, though in-person options are available depending on your preference and circumstances.
What happens at the hearing:
- The ALJ will review your medical records and work history
- You’ll be asked to testify about your diabetes symptoms, limitations, and daily activities
- Your attorney can question you to highlight important aspects of your case
- Medical experts may testify about your condition and limitations
- A Vocational Expert (VE) will testify about the availability of work based on the ALJ’s limitation findings
The Vocational Expert’s role is particularly important. They assess:
- Your past relevant work and the skills you acquired
- Whether you can return to your past work with those limitations found by the ALJ
- Whether there are other jobs in the national economy you could perform
Your attorney will cross-examine the VE, posing hypothetical scenarios based on your limitations to demonstrate why you cannot sustain full-time employment.
For example, they might ask: “Could a person who needs unscheduled 15-minute breaks every hour to check and manage blood sugar maintain competitive employment?”
The hearing typically lasts 30-60 minutes. The ALJ usually doesn’t issue a decision at the hearing but sends a written decision several weeks later.
Preparing for a Disability Hearing ->
8. The Importance of Legal Representation
Having an experienced disability attorney represent you, especially at the hearing level, can significantly improve your chances of approval.
Statistics consistently show that represented claimants are more likely to be approved than unrepresented ones.
How disability attorneys help:
- Gather and organize medical evidence specific to SSA requirements
- Obtain detailed statements from your doctors
- Prepare you for questioning at the hearing
- Cross-examine vocational and medical experts effectively
- Understand complex SSA regulations and court decisions
- Identify the strongest legal arguments for your case
How disability attorneys are paid:
- Disability attorneys work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if you win
- Fees are typically 25% of your past-due benefits, capped at $9,200 (as of 2025)
- The SSA must approve all fee arrangements
- You generally don’t pay anything upfront or out-of-pocket
The cost of attorney fees is more than offset by the improved chance of a recovery through the assistance of an attorney.
Even with the attorney fee, most claimants end up with more backpay by hiring an attorney than they would have received without representation. Additionally, your attorney handles communication with the SSA, completes paperwork, and reduces the stress of navigating the complex disability system.
Hiring a Disability Lawyer ->
9. Age Considerations: Over 50 and Applying for Disability
If you’re over 50 and applying for disability benefits with diabetes, you may benefit from the SSA’s “Grid Rules.” These rules recognize that older workers may have more difficulty adjusting to new types of work.
The Grid Rules divide applicants into age categories:
- 50-54: “Closely approaching advanced age”
- 55-59: “Advanced age”
- 60+: “Closely approaching retirement age”
As you age, the rules become more lenient. For example:
- If you’re 52, have severe diabetes, can only do sedentary work, have limited education, and your past work was physical in nature, you might be found disabled under the Grid Rules.
- The same person at age 45 might be denied because they’re expected to adapt to sedentary work.
The combination of your age, education level, work experience, and transferable skills plays a crucial role in these determinations.
If you’re over 50, make sure to emphasize:
- Long work history in a particular field
- Limited education or specialized training that doesn’t transfer to other work
- Lack of computer or technology skills if relevant
- Physical limitations from diabetes that prevent you from performing even sedentary work
Disability for those over 50 ->
10. SSI as an Alternative to SSDI
If you don’t qualify for SSDI due to insufficient work credits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be an option.
SSI uses the same medical criteria as SSDI but has different financial requirements:
SSI eligibility considerations:
- No work history requirement
- Must have limited income and resources
- Maximum federal benefit in 2026 is $994 per month for individuals (some states supplement this amount)
- Medicaid eligibility is typically automatic with SSI approval
SSI can be particularly helpful for:
- Younger individuals with diabetes who haven’t worked long enough for SSDI
- Those who worked primarily in cash-based or informal employment
- People who have been out of the workforce for many years
- Those whose SSDI benefit would be very low due to limited earnings history
You can apply for both SSDI and SSI simultaneously if you meet the medical requirements and have both limited resources and sufficient work history.
11. Long-Term Disability Insurance Policies
If you have a private long-term disability (LTD) insurance policy through your employer or purchased individually, this may provide benefits either in addition to or instead of Social Security disability.
Key considerations about LTD policies:
- Generally replace 60-70% of your pre-disability income
- Usually have shorter waiting periods than SSDI (typically 3-6 months)
- May require you to apply for SSDI and will often offset their payment by any SSDI amount you receive
- Definition of disability may be different from SSA’s definition
- Some policies pay for “own occupation” disability (inability to perform your specific job) for a period, then switch to “any occupation” (similar to SSA’s standard)
If you have diabetes and an LTD policy:
- Review your policy carefully to understand the definition of disability
- Report your condition to the insurer as soon as it affects your work
- Comply with all treatment recommendations
- Be aware that most LTD policies limit benefits for conditions with subjective symptoms
- Keep detailed records of how diabetes affects your functioning at work
While pursuing LTD benefits, it’s often advisable to apply for Social Security disability as well, as most policies require this.
An attorney experienced in both SSDI and LTD claims can help coordinate these applications effectively.
The Long-Term Disability Appeal Process ->
12. Conclusion
Navigating the disability benefits system with diabetes can be challenging, but understanding the process improves your chances of success.
While diabetes itself is not a listed impairment, its complications and functional limitations can qualify you for benefits when properly documented.
Living with severe diabetes is difficult enough without financial instability.
Disability benefits can provide the economic support you need to focus on your health and well-being. While the application process may be lengthy and complex, persistence and proper preparation can lead to a successful outcome.
If you’re struggling with diabetes and considering applying for disability benefits, consult with a disability attorney who can evaluate your specific situation and guide you through the process. Their expertise can be invaluable in securing the benefits you need and deserve.
Key Takeaways:
1. Diabetes can qualify for disability benefits
Even though diabetes is not specifically listed in the Social Security Administration’s list of impairments diabetes-related complications may still qualify under several different listings, requiring documentation of specific symptoms and functional limitations.
2. Alternative Qualification Pathways
Even if you don’t meet the strict Blue Book requirements for diabetes, you can still qualify through a “medical-vocational allowance” based on your functional limitations.
3. Multiple Conditions Strengthen Claims
Having additional medical conditions alongside diabetes can actually strengthen your disability claim since the SSA must consider the combined effects of all impairments.
4. Work Credit and Financial Requirements
To qualify for SSDI, you must have earned sufficient work credits through payroll taxes, and your current earnings also cannot exceed the Substantial Gainful Activity threshold of $1,690 per month for 2026.
5. Appeals Process is Common and Necessary
The majority of initial disability applications are denied, making the appeals process crucial for success.
6. Hearing Preparation is Critical
The disability hearing is your best chance to win your claim and success depends proving how bipolar disorder affects your ability to maintain employment.
7. Age Becomes an Advantage After 50
Reaching age 50 makes it significantly easier to qualify for disability benefits due to Medical-Vocational Guidelines.
8. Legal Representation Maximizes Success
Having an experienced disability attorney is essential for navigating the complex system and presenting your case in the best possible light for success.
Citations:
SSA Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease) Section 6.00 (Genitourinary Disorders)
SSA Diabetic retinopathy (eye disease) Section 2.00 (Special Senses and Speech)
Diabetes Mayo Clinic
SSA Age Grid Rules
SSA Disability Financial rules
SSI Qualifications – The SSA
SSA – Residual Functional Capacity
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Disability benefits are an important source of income for those who are unable to work. If you are not able to work due to accident or illness, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability or Long Term Disability benefits. If you have applied for benefits and been denied, contact the attorneys at Bemis, Roach and Reed for a free consultation. Call 512-454-4000 and get help NOW.
We had a client from the Panhandle of Texas who suffered from extremity radiculopathy, chronic pain syndrome and degenerative joint disease.
The initial disability claim was denied; the SSA stating the claimant does not have an impairment that meets or equals the severity of a listed impairment, and that the claimant can perform light work. Upon reconsideration, they found the claimant’s impairments to be non-severe once again. Our attorney Daniel Messenger gathered and presented medical evidence to prove the claimant is limited to light exertion work with a low maximum lifting amount.
At the disability hearing it was determined that the claimant was unable to perform any past relevant work, was declared disabled and awarded full disability benefits.
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Author: Attorney Lonnie Roach has been practicing law for 29 years. He is Superlawyers rated by Thomson Reuters and is Top AV Preeminent® and Client Champion Gold rated by Martindale Hubbell. Because of his extensive litigation experience Mr. Roach is board certified from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Lonnie is admitted to practice in the United States District Court - all Texas Districts and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Mr. Roach is a member of the Texas trial lawyers association, has been active in the Austin Bar Association and is a past Director of the Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Roach and all the members of Bemis, Roach & Reed have been active participants in the Travis County Lawyer referral service.
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