14. What are the EAEDC "medical standards" and SSI "listing"?
The EAEDC medical standards are lists of 14 categories of impairments, such as musculoskeletal impairments, respiratory impairments and mental impairments. 106 C.M.R. § 703.192.
The SSI listings and MassHealth disability standards are similar (but not identical) to the EAEDC medical standards and are located in the federal regulations at 20 C.F.R. § 404, Subpart P, Appendix l, available at https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-app-p01.htm .
The standards specify the symptoms, signs and laboratory findings you must have to show that you have one of these listed impairments. The evidence can include laboratory test results, what your doctor has observed, and your description of your symptoms.
DES is supposed to evaluate if your impairment or combination of impairments matches or equals either the EAEDC standards or the MassHealth disability/SSI listings.
- If your condition exactly matches one of these standards, you are disabled under the EAEDC program. DES should stop here and not go through the additional vocational assessment detailed below. 106 C.M.R. §§ 703.191(G)(1) and (2).
- If your impairment is not specifically listed in the medical standards but equals in severity any one of the EAEDC or SSI standards, you are disabled. 106 C.M.R. §§ 703.191(G)(2) and (3), 703.192.
- If the combination of all of your impairments equals in severity any one of the DTA or SSI medical standards, you are disabled under the EAEDC program. 106 C.M.R. §§ 703.191(G)(4) and 703.192(0)(4).
Example: Jane Sanders suffers from Reynaud's disease, a condition which is not listed in the EAEDC medical standards. Because of the disease, her fingers are red and swollen, with bluish areas. She also has rheumatoid arthritis, causing nodules on her fingers. Jane's doctor says she is at risk of circulatory collapse and should not use her hands to work. Although the Reynaud's disease does not meet the listed impairment under musculoskeletal systems in the regulations, Jane's impairments are equivalent in severity and she should be considered disabled.