Procedure for Applying for and Getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - Step-by-step guidance

Sep 19, 2026

Procedure explains why polio survivors can qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and how to support an application. It addresses misconceptions about SSA denials, citing the Social Security Ruling SSR 03-1p and its broader recognition of post-polio sequelae, including physical and psychological symptoms. It then outlines practical next steps: obtain and review the ruling, complete SSDI forms, prepare for the phone interview, and document job-related limitations using the ruling’s language.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

SSDI eligibility for polio survivors

Key ruling and recognized symptoms

Application procedure

Obtain the ruling and SSDI forms

Phone interview preparation

Documenting work limitations and symptoms

Procedure for Applying for and Getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Dr. Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD Director, International Centre for Polio Education Question: I had polio in 1952 and one leg has always been in a long leg brace. I am a computer analyst and now have severe fatigue. I fall asleep at my computer. But from what I read on the Internet, everyone who had polio gets denied for Social Security Disability, even when they hire a lawyer and appeal the denials. Either I will get fired or I just won’t be able get out of bed and go to work. I have no choice but to keep working. Answer: You do have a choice! It is not true that it is Social Security Administration (SSA) policy to deny Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) payments to polio survivors. In 1985 we wrote the document that allows polio survivors to get SSDI, called the POMS for Evaluation of the Late Effects of Poliomyelitis (24580 .010) . In 1987, we worked with Senator Bill Bradley to force SSA to release the POMS, which is when polio survivors started getting SSDI. What's more, in March, 2002, the SSA Commissioner agreed to our request to convert the POMS into what is called a "Social Security Ruling" that binds adjudicatorsand administrative law judges decisions about disability for polio survivors. The Social Security Ruling, SSR 03-1p. ; Titles II and XVI: Development and Evaluation of Disability Claims Involving Post-Polio Sequelae, was released on July 2, 2003. SSA has also agreed to "retrain" SSA personnel to properly review polio survivors' applications for SSDI. "The Ruling is more inclusive than the POMS and uses the term "Post-Polio Sequelae" to describe all of the late-onset symptoms polio survivors experience, not only post-polio syndrome--new muscle weakness in those who had paralytic polio--but also 'early advanced degenerative arthritis, sleep disorders, respiratory insufficiency, and a variety of mental disorders (having) an etiological link to either the acute polio infection or to chronic deficits resulting from the acute infection."According to the Ruling; "any one or a combination of these disorders...will constitute the presence of'Post-Polio Sequelae' and can be grounds for granting SSDI. For the first time sleep disorders, 'problems with attention, reduced concentration capacity, inability to persist in tasks, or memory problems' are recognized as causes of disability. The Ruling also recognizes The Post-Polio Institute's research on the psychological effects of polio and PPS, that "traumatic psychological experiences associated with acute polio infection are revived when polio survivors recognize the onset of further weakness and functional loss. Many polio survivors endureda life-threatening infection as young children. They may have spent extended periods away from their homes and families while hospitalized with paralysis or respiratory dysfunction, or while undergoing multiple orthopedic surgeries. Often, they endured many months, or sometimes years, of hospitalization and rehabilitation. The psychological effect of perceiving the onset of further weakness, fatigue, respiratory dysfunction or joint pain, many years following the acute infection, can be significant," and lead to disabling "anxiety and depression... mood changes and social withdrawal." Any of these symptoms can be the cause of inability to work and grounds for granting SSDI. The Ruling also recognizes that "many individuals with medically severe polio residuals have worked despite their limitations." The Ruling states that "the new onset of further physical or mental impairments (even though they may appear to be relatively minor) in polio survivors may result in further functional problems that can limit or prevent their ability to continue work activity. Post-Polio Sequelae may effectively alter the ability of these individuals to continue functioning at the same level they maintained for years following their initial polio infection.'" S

FAQs

Why do polio survivors sometimes get SSDI approved despite common claims of denial?

The document states it is not SSA policy to deny SSDI to polio survivors and points to SSR 03-1p, which binds adjudicators to recognize post-polio sequelae as a basis for granting SSDI.

What kinds of symptoms does SSR 03-1p say can support a disability finding for polio survivors?

It recognizes late-onset physical and mental conditions, including severe fatigue and sleep disorders, problems with attention and concentration, and psychological effects such as anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal.

What should an applicant do before and during the SSDI phone interview?

The document advises making a two-sided list of job-related activities the person cannot do and the specific symptoms that prevent them, using wording consistent with the Social Security Ruling, then collecting details needed for the interview.

Sep 19, 2026

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