The U.S. Social Security Administration is simplifying the disability evaluation it uses for its Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.

The agency will now review only five years of past work when determining if someone is eligible for disability payments, a change from reviewing the past 15 years. The agency will also no longer consider past work that started and stopped in fewer than 30 calendar days.

“These changes will reduce the burden on individuals applying for disability by allowing them to focus on the most current and relevant information about their past work,” the agency states. “The changes will also better reflect the current evidence about worker skill decay and job responsibilities, reduce processing times, and improve customer service.”

Disability claims are closely inter-related with Medicaid planning and applications. Clients need to understand the benefits they receive and what they could potentially receive.