Crohn's Disease and SSDI Benefits in Kansas

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that can make it impossible to hold down steady employment. When flare-ups are severe and unpredictable, keeping a regular schedule becomes nearly impossible — and that reality is precisely what Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is designed to address. Kansas residents living with Crohn's disease have successfully obtained SSDI benefits, but the path requires understanding how the Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates the condition.

How the SSA Evaluates Crohn's Disease

The SSA uses a medical reference guide called the Blue Book (officially, the Listing of Impairments) to determine whether a condition is severe enough to qualify for disability benefits automatically. Crohn's disease falls under Listing 5.06 — Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

To meet this listing, your medical records must document one of the following:

• Obstruction of the small intestine or colon, requiring hospitalization at least twice in a six-month period at least 60 days apart
• Two of the following despite prescribed treatment: anemia (hemoglobin below 10.0 g/dL), low serum albumin (3.0 g/dL or less), abdominal tenderness, palpable abdominal mass or ascites, involuntary weight loss of at least 10% from baseline, and the need for supplemental daily nutrition via tube or IV
• Perineal disease with draining abscesses or fistulas, with pain on palpation
• Two hospitalizations within six months, each lasting at least 48 hours, for conditions related to IBD
• Two of the qualifying complications listed above

Meeting a Blue Book listing leads to an automatic approval. However, many Kansas claimants with severe Crohn's disease do not meet every technical requirement yet still cannot work. In those situations, the SSA must assess your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) — a detailed evaluation of what work-related activities you can still perform despite your limitations.

Building a Strong Medical Record in Kansas

The foundation of any successful SSDI claim for Crohn's disease is thorough, consistent medical documentation. The SSA relies almost entirely on objective medical evidence, so what your doctor records matters enormously.

Your records should reflect:

• Diagnosis confirmed by colonoscopy, biopsy, or imaging studies such as CT enterography or MRI
• Frequency and duration of flare-ups and hospitalizations
• All prescribed medications and your response to treatment, including biologics like infliximab or adalimumab
• Nutritional status, including weight loss trends and any use of enteral or parenteral nutrition
• Co-occurring complications such as arthritis, skin disorders, fistulas, or strictures
• Bathroom urgency, frequency, and any incontinence episodes documented by your provider

Kansas has two SSA hearing offices — one in Wichita and one in Overland Park — and administrative law judges (ALJs) in these offices will scrutinize whether your treatment records reflect the severity you describe in your application. Gaps in treatment are one of the most common reasons Kansas claims are denied. If you have had difficulty affording care, document those barriers explicitly with your physician or social worker.

When Crohn's Prevents All Work: The RFC Analysis

Even if you do not meet Listing 5.06, you can still be approved through a medical-vocational analysis. The SSA will evaluate how your Crohn's disease affects your ability to perform work-related functions and compare that against jobs available in the national economy.

Crohn's disease creates several work-limiting restrictions that ALJs in Kansas must consider:

• Bathroom access: The need for frequent, urgent bathroom breaks — sometimes 10 to 20 times per day during flares — can make it impossible to maintain any production quota or stay on task. The Dictionary of Occupational Titles does not account for unscheduled bathroom breaks, and vocational experts routinely testify that more than two unscheduled breaks per day eliminates most competitive employment.
• Absenteeism: Unpredictable flare-ups requiring hospitalization or bedrest will cause more absences than most employers tolerate. More than one to two unscheduled absences per month is typically considered work-preclusive.
• Pain and fatigue: Chronic abdominal pain and the fatigue that accompanies malnutrition and inflammation significantly reduce concentration, pace, and persistence — all factors the SSA evaluates.
• Medication side effects: Immunosuppressants and corticosteroids commonly used to treat Crohn's can cause fatigue, cognitive impairment, and susceptibility to infection — all of which the SSA must factor into your RFC.

A well-documented RFC from your gastroenterologist — ideally in a formal medical source statement — can be decisive. Kansas ALJs give significant weight to treating physician opinions when they are supported by clinical findings and consistent with the overall record.

The SSDI Application and Appeals Process in Kansas

Most initial SSDI applications are denied regardless of the underlying condition. In Kansas, the initial denial rate mirrors the national average of approximately 65 to 70 percent. This does not mean your claim lacks merit — it means the SSA's initial review process is limited in scope and often relies on incomplete records.

The appeals process moves through four stages:

• Reconsideration: A fresh review by a different SSA examiner. Most reconsideration decisions are also unfavorable, but submitting updated medical records at this stage can strengthen your file.
• ALJ Hearing: This is where most successful Kansas claims are won. You have the opportunity to appear before a judge, present medical evidence, and cross-examine a vocational expert. Having legal representation at this stage dramatically increases your odds of approval.
• Appeals Council: If the ALJ denies your claim, you can request review by the SSA's Appeals Council, which may reverse the decision or remand it back to the ALJ.
• Federal Court: If the Appeals Council upholds the denial, you may file a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court. Kansas cases are filed in the District of Kansas, which has jurisdiction over SSA appeals statewide.

Time limits apply at every stage. After a denial, you typically have 60 days plus five days for mailing to file your appeal. Missing that deadline can force you to restart the entire application process and may result in the loss of back pay.

Maximizing Your Chances of Approval

Kansas claimants with Crohn's disease who take the following steps give themselves the strongest possible foundation for a successful claim:

• Treat consistently with a gastroenterologist and follow prescribed treatment plans, even when medications are partially effective
• Keep a daily symptom journal documenting bathroom trips, pain levels, fatigue, and days when you cannot leave home
• Ask your treating gastroenterologist to complete a detailed medical source statement outlining your specific functional limitations
• Request records of every emergency room visit and hospitalization related to your Crohn's disease
• Avoid working during the pendency of your claim beyond what SSA considers Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) — in 2025, the monthly SGA limit was $1,620 for non-blind individuals
• Consult with a disability attorney before or immediately after your first denial

The SSDI process is lengthy — hearings in Kansas can take 12 to 18 months to schedule — but benefits, once approved, include monthly payments and Medicare coverage after a 24-month waiting period. Back pay can reach tens of thousands of dollars, calculated from your established onset date.

Crohn's disease is a serious, qualifying condition under federal disability law. The key is presenting the right evidence in the right way at every stage of the process.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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