The Social Security Administration operates two programs for providing assistance to people with disabilities. Social Security Disability Insurance program pays benefits to the person with disabilities and certain family members if the insured person has paid social security taxes. Supplemental Security Income program is designed to pay benefits based on financial needs. This program is funded by general tax revenues.

Social Security defines only total disability as disability eligible for benefits, i.e., the person with disabilities is impaired to do the work he did earlier and cannot adjust to other work due to disabilities. Short-term disability and partial disability do not qualify for benefits under Social Security programs. Social Security definition of disability also requires that the disability must last or is expected to last for one year or is expected to result in death.

Social Security has devised a five-step procedure to decide whether a person applying for disability benefits qualifies for the same. The applicant is presented with a question at each step. The questions are: Is the applicant working? Is her/his condition severe? Is the condition in the list of disabling conditions? Is the person able to do the work he/she did previously? Is she/he able to do any other work?

Social Security maintains a list of severe medical conditions for each major body part. Applicants with disabilities that are present in the list of medical conditions automatically qualify for benefits. The list comprises of two parts viz., Part A and Part B. Impairments listed in Part A apply to person age eighteen or older, whereas Part B lists medical conditions applicable to evaluate disability of persons below age eighteen. Absence of any condition in the listing of impairment does not mean that the applicant does not qualify for benefits. Other steps in the procedure are utilized to evaluate eligibility for benefits.