Allsup Expert Discusses Rise Of COVID-Related SSDI Claims In U.S. News & World Report

‘Long COVID Pushes People Out of Work, but Government Help Is Hard to Reach’

The long-term effects of the coronavirus have put thousands of people in tough situations. Many are no longer able to work, have tried unsuccessfully to get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits or are waiting years for approval.

Of more than 1 million SSDI claims awaiting processing, the number of people with long COVID is unknown. The Social Security Administration (SSA) states that about 40,000 disability claims include an indication of a COVID infection at some point.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider long COVID to be a range of ongoing health problems that can last weeks, months or even longer. The Brookings Institution estimates that 2-4 million people are out of work because of long COVID.

T.J. Geist, Allsup principal advocate and director, explains the current environment. The long waits for disability insurance often end in denial, partly because long COVID patients do not have acceptable medical evidence, and the SSA has yet to provide specific guidance on how to evaluate claims from people with long COVID.

Allsup, a nationwide provider of disability representation, health insurance benefits and return-to-work services, says that in recent months, about 5% of new claims involve people with long COVID.

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Learn more in the full article from U.S. News & World Report, “Long COVID Pushes People Out of Work, but Government Help Is Hard to Reach.”