How does the Social Security Administration assess disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) assesses whether or not an individual is disabled in Washington and other states through a process called the medical-vocational allowance. It is a five-step evaluation process where the SSA will look at the age, education, work experience, medical conditions, and any other relevant factors that could impact the individual’s ability to work. The first step is to determine if a person is engaged in substantial gainful activity. This means that someone is working at a level that is both substantial and gainful in relation to their age and current health condition. If the answer is no, the individual will move onto the second step. The second step is to assess whether the individual’s medical condition is “severe”. The SSA considers a variety of conditions, such as mental illnesses, physical impairments, and/or learning and intellectual disorders. If the condition is deemed severe, the individual will move onto the third step. The third step is to assess whether the individual’s medical condition is equal or equal in severity to a listed impairment found in the SSA’s Official Disability Regulations (SSA-blue book). If the medical condition does not meet the criteria for a listed impairment, the SSA moves onto the fourth step and will consider the individual’s residual functional capacity (RFC). This means that the SSA will determine how much physical and/or mental activity the individual can perform despite their disability. Finally, the fifth step is to apply the individual’s work history to their RFC. This will determine whether or not the individual is disabled and if benefits will be awarded.

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How does the Social Security Administration assess disability?

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