Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, causes inflammation in the digestive tract. For some people, symptoms like abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea, and fatigue can make working feel impossible. In these cases, IBD can qualify as a disability, and you may be eligible for financial support through Social Security.
For a health condition to qualify as a disability, it has to be severe enough to prevent you from working and supporting yourself financially. It also has to last at least 12 months or be life-threatening.
You can apply for two types of disability benefits through Social Security:
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is for people who have worked and paid into Social Security.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is for people with limited income or little work history.
You may be eligible for one or both types of Social Security. Both programs use the same criteria to decide if your condition qualifies as a disability.
When Is IBD Considered a Disability?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers inflammatory bowel disease a disability if you meet one of the three following criteria:
1. You’ve Had Intestinal Blockages
This includes situations where:
- Your small intestine or colon has become obstructed (blocked) due to IBD.
- Imaging or surgery reports confirm the obstruction.
- You were hospitalized twice for surgery or decompression (a procedure to relieve pressure from blockages).
- Each hospital stay was at least 60 days apart and occurred within a 12-month period.
2. Your Symptoms and Lab Results Show Ongoing Issues
You may qualify if you’ve had at least two of the following within 12 months, occurring at least 60 days apart:
- Anemia with hemoglobin below 10.0 grams per deciliter (g/dL) on two separate blood tests
- Albumin levels 3.0 g/dL or lower (a sign of poor nutrition) on two separate blood tests
- Abdominal pain or cramping, with your doctor able to feel a tender, inflamed mass in your abdomen
- Abscesses (collections of pus) or fistulas (abnormal tunnels that form between the intestine and other organs) that drained around your anus
- A need for daily supplemental nutrition through a feeding tube or central line
3. You Have Repeated Complications of IBD
This applies if you experience repeated IBD complications, like abscesses, infections, or perforations, about three times a year or once every four months. Each episode must last at least two weeks and must limit your ability to do one of the following:
- Handle daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning, or using public transportation
- Maintain social interactions, like communicating or getting along with others
- Complete work duties on time due to difficulty focusing, pain, or chronic fatigue caused by IBD
Doctors use a tool called the IBD Disability Index (IBD-DI) to quantify how IBD affects daily life. It’s a short questionnaire that asks about things like pain, fatigue, ability to work, sleep quality, and emotional well-being. Your doctor might use this assessment to support your disability application and track how your condition changes over time.
You can apply for disability benefits online, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at your local Social Security office. You’ll need to provide medical documentation proving how IBD prevents you from working. The SSA typically requests records directly from your doctors, but submitting any documents you already have can speed up the process.
Supporting documentation you’ll need includes:
- Medical records confirming your IBD diagnosis and treatment history
- Test results like blood work, imaging scans, endoscopy reports, and biopsies
- Doctor statements about your physical limitations
- Documentation of how IBD impacts your daily routine and job performance
- Records of flare-up frequency, complications, symptom severity, and medication side effects that impact your ability to work
Applying for disability benefits under the SSA can be frustrating, especially if your first application is denied. Denials are common, with only about 1 out of 5 disability applications getting approved each year. Denials are often due to missing or incomplete medical documentation that doesn’t clearly show how IBD impacts your ability to work and function daily.
You can file an appeal if your application is denied. Many people who were initially turned down are approved after appealing. The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation has sample appeal letters to help guide you and your healthcare provider. Consider working with a disability attorney who understands IBD cases, as they can help you gather supporting medical evidence and present your case more effectively.
IBD symptoms can create challenges, whether you’re trying to meet work deadlines or keep up with school. About 7 out of 10 people with IBD may have trouble focusing at work, and many need shorter workdays to manage their symptoms. IBD can affect work and school in several ways, including:
- Frequent absences: Missing work or classes can become unavoidable with flare-ups or if you need medical care, and these absences can jeopardize your position at work or cause you to fall behind in school.
- Reduced productivity and focus: Even when you’re at work or in class, fatigue, pain, and brain fog can make it hard to concentrate.
- Physical limitations: Severe symptoms may prevent you from doing certain job duties or participating in activities, especially those requiring long periods without breaks.
- Limited growth opportunities: Managing IBD often means unpredictable flare-ups. This can limit your ability to take on additional responsibilities at work, pursue promotions, or get involved in extracurricular activities.
- Stress: The pressure to perform while managing a chronic condition can increase stress levels, which can worsen your symptoms.
- Bathroom access and privacy: Needing quick access to restrooms or managing urgencies can be disruptive in both work and school settings, especially if facilities are far or breaks are limited.
- Social challenges: You might avoid workplace events, study groups, or school activities due to symptoms or fear of flare-ups, which can negatively affect professional networking and academic relationships.
- Schedule flexibility needs: Certain work and school environments have difficulty accommodating the flexibility you need when managing flare-ups or frequent medical appointments.
If you don’t qualify for disability benefits under the SSA or while you wait for a decision on your application, you may still be entitled to support at work.
Under Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers with 15 or more employees must provide reasonable accommodations to help you do your job. Reasonable accommodations are modifications to your work environment, schedule, or duties that allow you to perform your essential work functions despite your condition. Your employer is required to make these changes as long as they don’t cause significant difficulty or expense for the company.
Here are a few examples of work-related accommodations you can request to help with IBD:
- Flexible work hours or the ability to work from home during flare-ups
- Access to a private restroom or a workspace closer to bathroom facilities
- Modified duties that reduce physical demands or stress during difficult periods
- Extra breaks during the day to rest or use the bathroom
- A more comfortable workspace setup, such as an ergonomic chair or a standing desk
- Reassignment to a different role if your current duties are too physically demanding
- Reduced travel requirements or advanced notice for business trips
Speak with your employer or human resources department if you need workplace accommodations for IBD. It’s often helpful to put your request in writing and mention that you’re asking for reasonable accommodations under the ADA. This can give you and your employer a chance to work together on the adjustments needed to stay productive at work.
Flare-ups, fatigue, and frequent bathroom needs can all be challenging when managing classes and campus life. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal law that requires schools receiving public funding to offer reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities, including those with IBD.
Each school offers different types of accommodations. Here are some common school accommodations that may be available:
- Priority class registration so you can build your schedule around your symptoms and medical appointments
- Note-taking support from classmates when you can’t attend class
- Flexible deadlines for assignments when IBD symptoms interfere with your ability to complete work on time
- Modified attendance policies so you can make up missed classes without penalty
- Extended time on exams and bathroom breaks
- Special housing, like single rooms or private bathrooms
- Dining accommodations, including modified meal plans
- Campus transportation assistance when fatigue makes walking between classes difficult
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can qualify as a disability, but you must meet the criteria set by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The disability application process can be long and discouraging, and many people are denied at first. Staying persistent and appealing the denial can increase your chances of getting approved. If you don’t meet the disability criteria, you can request accommodations at work or school to help you continue to earn a living or complete your studies.
