Medical Requirements for Social Security Disability in Florida

Severe Medical Condition

To qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, your medical condition must be severe enough to prevent you from working. The SSA defines a "severe" condition as one that significantly limits your ability to perform basic work tasks like sitting, standing, walking, lifting, concentrating, and interacting with others. Your condition must also be expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death.

• Severity: A minor illness or condition will not meet the SSA's definition of "disability." The impairment must be so severe that it prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA).
• Duration: Your disability must either have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months or be terminal.

Meeting the SSA’s “Listing of Impairments”

The SSA has a list of medical conditions known as the "Listing of Impairments" (or Blue Book) that automatically qualify you for Social Security Disability if your condition meets the criteria outlined. This list covers various physical and mental health conditions.

Some examples of conditions that may qualify under the SSA’s Listing of Impairments include:

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Chronic respiratory disorders
• Neurological conditions (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy)
• Mental health disorders (e.g., depression, PTSD, schizophrenia)
• Musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., arthritis, back problems)

If your condition is on this list, the SSA will evaluate whether it meets the severity and diagnostic criteria to automatically qualify you for disability benefits.

Medical Evidence to Support Your Claim

In addition to meeting the SSA’s listing criteria, you must provide comprehensive medical evidence that demonstrates your disability is severe enough to prevent you from working. The SSA will evaluate your case based on the following types of evidence:

• Doctor’s Reports: These include detailed notes from your treating physician(s), including diagnoses, treatment plans, and progress reports.
• Medical Tests and Imaging: Lab results, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other diagnostic reports can support the severity of your condition.
• Treatment History: Information about the treatments you’ve received, including surgeries, medications, physical therapy, or other medical interventions. The SSA will want to see that you have tried reasonable treatments and that they have not been effective in improving your condition.
• Functional Limitations: You need to show how your condition affects your ability to perform basic work activities. This could include limitations in walking, sitting, standing, lifting, and concentrating. The more specific and detailed your medical documentation is, the stronger your claim will be.

Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) Assessment

Even if your condition doesn’t meet the exact requirements in the Listing of Impairments, you can still qualify for Social Security Disability benefits if your condition limits your ability to perform work activities to a significant extent. This is known as your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC). The SSA evaluates your RFC to determine how much work you can still do despite your medical limitations.

The SSA will assess your ability to perform:

• Physical tasks: Can you sit, stand, walk, or lift objects? Are there limitations in your ability to perform repetitive movements, such as typing or bending?
• Mental tasks: How does your condition affect your ability to understand and carry out instructions, concentrate, and interact with others?

Your treating physician can provide an RFC assessment, which is a critical part of your application.

The Five-Step Evaluation Process

The SSA uses a five-step process to determine whether you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. This process includes evaluating both your work history and your medical condition. Here’s how the SSA evaluates your claim:

• Step 1: Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA): If you are earning above a certain monthly income, you will not be considered disabled. For 2025, earning more than $1,470 per month (or $2,460 if you are blind) will make you ineligible for benefits.
• Step 2: Severe Condition: Your condition must be severe enough to limit your ability to perform basic work tasks.
• Step 3: Meet a Listed Impairment: If your condition matches one of the SSA’s listed impairments, you may automatically qualify.
• Step 4: Past Work: The SSA will assess whether you can still perform your previous job despite your condition.
• Step 5: Other Work: If you can’t do your past job, the SSA will assess whether you can do other types of work, based on your age, education, skills, and experience.

Special Considerations for Mental Health Conditions

In Florida, mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are also considered for Social Security Disability benefits. To qualify, you must show that the mental health condition severely limits your ability to function, even with treatment.

For mental health conditions, the SSA looks for:

• Marked limitations in understanding and applying information, interacting with others, and concentrating or maintaining pace.
• Episodes of decompensation, which are periods when your mental health condition worsens and affects your ability to function.

You will need to provide sufficient medical evidence from mental health professionals, including therapy or psychiatric notes, to demonstrate that your condition meets the SSA’s criteria.