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Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) helps disabled Delaware residents to cover the cost of living expenses if they cannot retain gainful employment due to a chronic condition or disability. To be eligible, the disability must last for 12 months or eventually result in death.
Facts About Delaware
Almost 200,000 adults in the Blue Hen State have a disability that would qualify them for SSDI benefits, according to the CDC. 25% of the Delaware population is potentially disabled, which is on par with the national average.
Mobility and cognition significantly comprise the highest percentage of disability cases, but independent living, hearing, vision, and self care are other impacted areas as well. These health concerns create additional costs for medication and ongoing treatment.
How To Qualify for SSDI in Delaware
There are two parts to qualifying for SSDI. SSDI is a type of insurance that provides an ongoing payment if someone reaches a point where their disability prevents them from working.
This insurance can only be collected if a taxpayer has paid sufficient Social Security taxes. You can think of that as their premium. The Social Security Administration keeps track of this with a work credit system, where $1,470 in earnings through employment or self-employment merits one work credit.
Someone making an SSDI claim typically needs 40 credits to get their SSDI application approved, and half of those credits must have been earned recently, in the past decade.
The other eligibility requirement for SSDI is that the applicant must be disabled and be unable to work for at least 12 months.
The SSDI applicant must provide significant proof of this disability, such as medical records, hospital bills, and other evidence. If a person does not have a specific disability listed in the SSA Blue Book, they may still qualify for benefits if they can demonstrate a low Residual Functional Capacity (RFC).
The SSA uses assistive technology to comb through the applications submitted by claimants and pull out diseases and conditions that fall into the list of Compassionate Allowances, which can get immediate approval for Social Security Disability.
How To Apply for SSDI in Delaware
These days, the easiest way for residents of the First State to apply for SSDI is online at SSA.gov. You can also apply over the phone by calling 1-800-492-4283. If you require some assistance filling out the application, you can head out to one of the three Delaware SSA field offices located in Dover, Lewes, or New Castle.
A Delaware military veteran should also look into VA benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs since it is possible to collect SSDI and VA benefits concurrently.
How To Appeal a Denial in Delaware
The SSDI denial rate in the Small Wonder (as it’s also named) is around 67%, which is lower than the national average of 70%.
Most cases will need to go through disability adjudication in order to get approved. The disability adjudication process first involves requesting a reconsideration so you can furnish more evidence.
If the disability examiner still denies your case, you can request a hearing with an administrative law judge who will hopefully reassign your case to a different disability examiner. If that doesn’t pan out, you can request a hearing by the Appeals Council.
The final step is actually to use the Federal Court System, but it is unlikely that your case will go this far. At this point, you are required to hire a disability lawyer if you have not done so already. A disability attorney is often an affordable option because the most they can charge for their services is either $6,000 or 25% of your awarded back pay – whichever is lower.
More Delaware Benefits
SSI
If you are disabled, blind, over 65, and have little in the way of monetary resources (that is, $2,000 per person and $3,000 per couple), you can qualify for Supplemental Security Income. When you apply for SSDI, the SSA will check if you are eligible for SSI.
SSI payments generally average between $700 and $800 per month, but if you are approved for SSDI, you can also collect SSI concurrently.
Delaware Medicaid
Delaware Medicaid provides affordable and sometimes free health insurance to eligible low-income individuals. There is also assistance available for buying groceries (SNAP), housing assistance, and energy assistance, among other programs offered by the Delaware Department of Human Resources.
Delaware Unemployment
The Delaware Department of Labor provides unemployment benefits to those out of work. Delaware Unemployment benefits are available to anyone unemployed through no fault of their own, with some exceptions.
Delaware Social Security Offices
| SSA Field Office Locations in Delaware | ||
| Wilmington SSA Office | 920 W Basin Road Suite 200 New Castle, DE 19720 | (866) 667-7221 |
| Dover SSA Office | 655 S Bay Rd Suite 3J Dover, DE 19901 | (877) 701-2141 |
| Lewes SSA Office | 12001 Old Vine Blvd Ste 101 Lewes, DE 19958 | (866) 864-1803 |
Delaware Hearing and Appeal Offices
Delaware is in Region 3 (Philadelphia), which services Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and District of Columbia.
The Dover Hearing Office services the cities of Dover DA, Georgetown DA, Wilmington DA, Elkton MD, Cambridge MD, Salisbury MD, and Accomac VA.
| Region 3 – SSA Office of Hearing Operations in Delaware | ||
| SSA Hearing Office – Dover | 655 S. Bay Road, Suite 3i Blue Hen Corporate Center Dover, DE 19901 | (877) 405-3671 |
