General Medical Requirements for Social Security Disability

Regardless of whether you're applying for SSDI or SSI, the SSA requires that you have a severe medical condition that significantly impacts your ability to perform substantial work activities. The key elements of the medical requirements include:

• Severe Medical Condition: Your condition must be severe enough to interfere with your ability to perform basic work tasks, such as standing, sitting, walking, or interacting with others. The SSA evaluates whether your disability prevents you from doing your previous job or any other type of work.

• Expected Duration of Disability: Your condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or be expected to result in death. Temporary disabilities, or those expected to resolve in less than 12 months, do not meet the SSA’s medical criteria.

• Listing of Impairments: The SSA has a Listing of Impairments, which outlines medical conditions that may automatically qualify you for disability benefits if they meet specific severity criteria. If your condition is listed, you may be considered automatically disabled if medical evidence supports your case. These include physical and mental impairments, such as:
• Cardiovascular disorders
• Musculoskeletal conditions
• Respiratory disorders
• Mental health disorders (e.g., depression, PTSD)
• Neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease)
• Cancer, and many others

• Medical Documentation: To prove that your disability meets the SSA’s requirements, you must provide comprehensive medical documentation, including:
• Doctor’s notes and treatment records that show the severity of your condition.
• Test results, such as blood work, X-rays, MRIs, or other diagnostic tests that confirm your condition.
• Statements from healthcare providers outlining how your condition limits your ability to work.

How the SSA Evaluates Medical Evidence

The SSA uses a five-step process to evaluate whether your condition qualifies for disability benefits. This process helps determine if your disability meets the medical requirements outlined in the SSA’s rules.

• Step 1: Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA): If you are working and earning above a certain income threshold, the SSA may determine that you are not disabled. In Michigan, the SSA considers earnings above $1,470 per month (for 2025) as Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).
• Step 2: Severe Condition: Your condition must be severe enough to significantly limit your ability to perform basic work activities, such as lifting, walking, and concentrating. If your condition doesn’t meet this requirement, you will not be considered disabled.
• Step 3: Meet a Listed Impairment: If your condition is included in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments and your medical evidence shows that your condition meets the specific criteria, you will be considered disabled. Some common listed impairments include:
• Chronic heart failure
• Severe arthritis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Severe anxiety or depression
• Severe back pain
• Organ failure (liver, kidney, heart)
• Step 4: Past Work: If you do not meet the Listing of Impairments, the SSA will evaluate whether you can still do your past work. If you can no longer perform your previous job due to your medical condition, the SSA will move on to the next step.
• Step 5: Other Work: Finally, if you can’t perform your past work, the SSA will determine if you can do any other type of work based on your skills, age, education, and work experience. If you can’t, you may be approved for benefits.

What Medical Conditions Qualify for Social Security Disability in Michigan?

In Michigan, as with the rest of the U.S., the SSA will consider a wide range of conditions for Social Security Disability benefits. Some of the most common qualifying conditions include:

• Musculoskeletal disorders: Severe back problems, joint pain, and arthritis.
• Cardiovascular conditions: Heart failure, chronic heart disease, arrhythmias, and other cardiovascular conditions.
• Mental health disorders: Severe anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
• Neurological conditions: Seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
• Cancers: Certain types of cancer may qualify if they limit your ability to work or are expected to result in death.
• Respiratory disorders: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and emphysema.

If you have a condition not listed in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments, you can still qualify for disability benefits if your condition is medically equivalent to one of the listed impairments or if it severely limits your ability to perform daily tasks.