People with hearing impairments find it difficult to navigate work life, especially in severe cases where the impairment may make it difficult to retain employment. Can Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) help in such situations?
Yes, it can. Hearing impairment, depending on the severity of the impairment, can be recognized as a disability by the SSA. Hearing-impaired individuals even have the option of getting special accommodations from the SSA when applying for SSDI.
Continue reading below for more information on how you can qualify for SSDI with a hearing impairment.
Social Security Disability Insurance Programs
There are two benefit programs run by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that help people with disabilities by providing monetary benefits and healthcare. Each one serves a distinct purpose, but both will pay monthly benefits to people who meet the medical standards.
Social Security Disability Insurance is a benefits program that is designed to aid people and their families who cannot work due to a disability.
In order to be eligible for SSDI, you need to have worked and paid your Social Security taxes for a specific number of years. You will likely be eligible for SSDI if you worked throughout your adult life, even if it’s been just part-time.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program that helps those with low incomes, including children and the elderly. When an application is submitted on behalf of a child, the financial circumstances of the child’s parent(s) will be taken into consideration. Your child may apply independently after turning 18 and may have a considerably better chance of qualifying if they do so.
Why Hearing Loss Is So Costly
Hearing loss can be a costly condition due to the expenses associated with medical examinations, intensive specialist testing, hearing aids, communication support devices, and even surgical procedures. The type and extent of hearing loss can only be determined by comprehensive hearing tests performed by audiologists.
Further diagnostic testing may be necessary to identify the root cause of the hearing loss. It is possible that you will be required to see an otolaryngologist, sometimes known as an ear, nose, and throat specialist (commonly known as a ENT doctor).
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the cost of a pair of hearing aids can be as high as $4,500. A cochlear implant can cost from $30,000 to $50,000, depending on the clinic that performs the procedure.
If you experience hearing loss, you may find that you might be unable to work, which can have a negative influence on your income. The cost of learning to read lips and use sign language can also be relatively high.
The amount you’ll have to pay out of pocket for hearing loss—even with health insurance—can vary greatly depending on the effectiveness of the treatments and the extent to which your loss is irreversible.
Is Hearing Loss a Disability?
The Social Security Administration counts hearing loss as a disability. They may grant you disability benefits if they find that your inability to work is a direct result of your hearing loss. You will need to meet one of the Social Security Administration’s disability listings in the Blue Book in order to be eligible for disability benefits due to hearing loss.
You can qualify for a disability for hearing loss under two separate listings:
Hearing Loss Not Treated With A Cochlear Implant (2.10)
There are two general tests that are used on individuals who have hearing loss but do not have a cochlear implant. Scores from tests on the better ear are often the only ones that will be reviewed.
The examination will first start with an air and bone conduction test. If you pass the bone conduction test with a result of 60 decibels or higher and the air conduction test with a threshold of 90 decibels or higher, then you will be considered eligible under the listing.
The other exam that could determine whether you are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits is a word recognition test that uses a standardized selection of phonetically balanced monosyllabic words.
If you have a score of 40 percent or lower, you are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. You can prove your disability with results from either the conduction tests or the word recognition test.
Hearing Loss with a Cochlear Implant (2.11)
If you have been given a cochlear implant and the procedure was successful, then you are regarded as having a disability for a period of one year following the implantation.
You will continue to be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits even after that year has passed if you earn a word recognition score of 60% or lower, this time utilizing the Hearing in Noise Test (commonly referred to as the HINT).
In short, you can get a disability for hearing loss if:
- Your good ear has an average hearing level of 90 decibels or more.
- You have a better ear-word recognition score of 40% or lower (in the absence of cochlear implants)
- You have a word recognition score of 60% or lower
- You are within one year of undergoing cochlear implant surgery
If the severity of your hearing loss does not satisfy the criteria for one of these hearing loss listings, you may still be eligible for benefits if you satisfy or closely correspond to the criteria for the Disturbance of labyrinthine-vestibular function (2.07) listing instead.
For you to be considered for this listing, your medical records need to demonstrate that you have been experiencing a gradual deterioration in your hearing abilities, along with continuous problems with balance and tinnitus.
Types of Hearing Loss
A person may experience hearing loss in either one or both ears.
The type of hearing loss that a person experiences is determined by the location within the hearing system where the injury occurred. The following are the three primary categories of hearing loss, which are classified according to the part of the hearing system that is affected:
Conductive hearing loss occurs when either the middle or outer ear is affected, as in the case of a foreign object obstructing sound transmission. The fact that conductive hearing loss is often treatable with surgery or medicine makes disability eligibility more challenging.
Sensorineural hearing loss affects the inner ear and is usually lifelong, but hearing aids and other assistive devices may be beneficial. Factors such as advancing age, illness, exposure to loud noises, infections, birth trauma, and brain injuries are common causes.
The third type of hearing loss is a combination of the two aforementioned categories. There are a variety of potential causes, including hereditary disorders, infections, and head traumas, and therapies for both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss may be necessary.
There are several subtypes of hearing loss beyond the three main ones mentioned earlier. One form of sensorineural hearing loss, cookie bite, affects frequencies between 500 and 2,000 Hz, which are considered mid-range. It may be more difficult to qualify when you have a partial hearing loss of any kind.
How to Qualify Without a Blue Book Listing
A person may be eligible for disability benefits even if they do not match a disability listing, provided they meet specific criteria. The Social Security Administration assesses an applicant’s Residual Functional Capacity (RFC), and then awards them a “medical-vocational allowance” if they meet these criteria.
In an RFC, the Social Security Administration considers your age, degree of education, job abilities, employment history, training, and other criteria to establish the types of jobs for which you are eligible.
Then, they’ll consider your mental, emotional, and physical limitations while comparing the typical job duties in the suitable career sectors.
For this comparison, they will consult your medical records as well as the information that you and your doctor have provided on “functional report” forms.
Using functional reports, they can capture the challenges you face daily when doing things like grocery shopping, housekeeping, pet care, and cooking.
The Social Security Administration can use this information, along with your medical records and application materials, to assess whether your hearing loss prevents you from holding a job for which you would otherwise be qualified.
For example, individuals who have always worked in customer service and have little transferable skills might be eligible because their hearing loss makes it hard for them to communicate clearly. If this is the case, an RFC might be enough to get a disability.
How Much Will I Get in Disability for Hearing Loss?
In 2023, the average monthly benefit payment for individuals receiving Social Security disability benefits is $1,483.
The Social Security Administration does not keep records of payments relevant to hearing loss; nonetheless, the monthly disability benefit amount for comparable conditions is $1,361.97. But, depending on the severity of your hearing loss, you may get more or less than that.
As of 2023, the highest monthly benefit that SSDI and SSI can pay is $3,627 and $914, respectively. The amounts may change yearly, so make sure you check the SSA site.
These remain the same regardless of the specific disability claim you make or the number of conditions you ultimately rely on. While SSI uses your current income to determine your benefit amount, SSDI uses your job and income history to determine your benefit amount.
Accommodations for People with Hearing Loss
Getting a translator from the Social Security Administration is a good idea if you are deaf or hard of hearing and need one to communicate effectively. If an applicant is hearing impaired and needs assistance communicating with a Social Security official, the agency will pay for a sign language interpreter for assistance.
Having a certified sign language interpreter present during your disability claim application, disability determination, and medical examination stages will guarantee that all discussions pertaining to your claim are translated accurately and adequately.
A deaf applicant has the same right to privacy and secrecy as a hearing applicant. If you are hard of hearing, the Social Security examiner should not make you give up sensitive information about your health or personal application or ask someone else to do it on your behalf.
Your application and medical records will be kept confidential when you work with qualified sign language interpreters. This is because interpreters aren’t permitted to share the details of any communication or transaction in which they are involved.
Qualifications Needed by a Professional Sign Language Interpreter
A competent sign language interpreter possesses the following abilities:
- a foundational understanding of sign language and finger spelling;
- the capacity to convert spoken language into appropriate signs and
- the capacity to observe another signer and convert their signs or finger spellings into spoken words.
You are also allowed to bring your own interpreter, but if Social Security thinks the interpreter isn’t qualified, they can end the talk and request someone else to complete it.
Applying for Disability Benefits with Hearing Loss
Your application for disability benefits will be different based on whether you’re applying for Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance.
You have the option to apply for Supplemental Security Income in person, over the phone, or online. However, a representative from the SSA will need to interview you. It is possible to do an interview over the phone or in person at the local office.
To apply for SSDI, you have a few options: visit your local office, call (in some situations), or fill out an online form.
In order to enroll in either of these programs, you must provide specific information about your job and financial situation, as well as the names and contact details of all healthcare professionals you currently visit. In addition, the Social Security Administration will want to see copies of your medical records and specific medical information.
Whether you submit your application online, in person at an SSA office, or by phone, be as detailed as possible and answer all questions, even if you think a question doesn’t pertain to your situation.
Conclusion
It is relatively easy to qualify for disability benefits with a hearing impairment, provided you meet the program’s requirements. However, it’s still important to file a strong application and submit all the necessary paperwork. The more information you provide about your disability and medical records, the better your chances are.
