Social Security & You
By Brandon P. Smith, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
Are you a sickle cell warrior or do you know someone with sickle cell disease? At Social Security, we’re committed to supporting sickle cell warriors and the people who care for them.
An adult or child with sickle cell disease may be eligible for benefits through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
SSDI benefits are based on earnings and are not subject to income and resource limits. SSI is a needs-based program that provides payments to people who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a disability and have limited income and resources.
Our publications provide information, examples, and tips to help you understand the disability application and evaluation process. You can learn more by reading:
- Sickle Cell Disease and the Social Security Disability Evaluation Process for Adults at
- Sickle Cell Disease and the Social Security Disability Evaluation Process for Children at
Our publication, Sickle Cell Disease: A Guide for Health Professionals on Providing Medical Evidence for Social Security Disability Claims at ssa.gov/pubs/EN-60-005.pdf, explains the medical evidence we need to make medical decisions for people with sickle cell disease. For more information about our disability programs and related topics, visit our blog article titled Understanding Social Security Disability Benefits at blog.ssa.gov/understanding-social-security-disability-benefits. These resources help ensure timely, equitable, and accurate disability evaluations for people with sickle cell disease.
