List of Impairments for CFR Disability

For the Social Security Administration (SSA) to award disability benefits to individual applicants, the SSA requires a showing of a long-term physical or mental impairment preventing the applicant from performing substantial activity. The Code of Federal Regulations, Section 404.1525, lists the impairments in Appendix 1, which are considered significant enough to prevent the applicant from performing gainful activity.

CFR's Categorization Scheme

• Each major bodily system is categorized in the list. Part A includes a listing of illnesses to be used for adults. Part B contains criteria only used for children under 18 years of age. The majority of the diseases included in the list are illnesses that are permanent and last at least 12 months or will inevitably lead to death.

Medically Equivalent Disability Sec. 404.1526

• If the applicant's impairment is not listed within the list of identifiable impairments, then the SSA may request a listing of symptoms to determine whether the applicant's unlisted disability is medically equivalent to a disability listed. The SSA will make a determination based upon the intensity of pain, duration and professional opinion of a designated medical or psychological practitioner. The SSA may also review any laboratory results if it requests additional testing information.

Adult Listings (Part A)

• Part A lists possible disorders according to major bodily system. Disorders of the musculoskeletal or limbic systems may be hereditary or acquired. The loss of function could be due to bone deformities, but the impairment must be permanent and cause functional loss of gross movement coordination as the impacted major life activity. A medical certification from a physician performing an examination or testing is required. The history of the applicant's illness must be included with information about ineffective treatments that may have been required and any subsequent responses to those treatments. Mental disorders are also listed in Part A. The evaluation and determination of a long-term disability based upon a mental disorder requires certification from a physician or mental health professional stating the extent of the disorder and any organic causes of the disorder. The applicant must list whether any treatment was sought and the level of impairment the mental disorder causes, including which major life activities are significantly limited. Mental impairment does not include deficiencies that are only shown in limited circumstances without a regular pattern.

Childhood Listings (Part B)

• Similar to Part A's listing of systemic disorders; the impairments for children under 18-years-old include the same wide variety of systemic diseases. Growth disorders are included in the growth impairment category and based upon percentile deviations from the national growth charts determined by the National Centers for Health. Neurological disorders include epileptic seizures in which at least one description of a standard seizure the child experiences regularly is documented.