An endocrine disorder, diabetes is detected by high levels of blood glucose due to defects in insulin production, insulin action or both, according to the CDC. Insulin is required for the body to process glucose for energy. In type 2 diabetes (the most common form), either the body does not produce enough insulin or it ignores what is produced.
“Diabetes is an insidious disease process that can wreak havoc on the body in a number of ways,” said Ed Swierczek, senior claimant representative at Allsup. “For example, diabetes can cause severe visual impairments, limit a person’s ability to walk and use his hands, or be so severe that is causes someone to lapse into a coma.”
The CDC reports an estimated 3.7 percent of the population between the ages of 20 and 44 has the disease, and that figure climbs to 13.7 percent for those ages 45 to 64. “However, public awareness of diabetes is modest at best when compared to the high rates of the disease,” said Tai Venuti, manager of strategic alliances at Allsup. “The CDC estimates there are 7 million people in the U.S. who have diabetes but are not aware of their condition. It’s especially important for people with a family history and women who had high blood sugar during pregnancy to get the blood test for diabetes.”
The repercussions from diabetes include lost income, according to a 2012 study by Yale University researchers, who reported that individuals with diabetes face up to $160,000 in lost wages over their lifetimes compared to those without the disease.
For someone seeking Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (https://www.allsup.com/
SSDI is a federally mandated disability insurance program overseen by the Social Security Administration (SSA), and it operates separately from the retirement and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. SSDI provides monthly benefits to individuals who are under full retirement age (age 65 or older) and who can no longer work because of a severe disability. Individuals and their employers pay for the federal insurance program through FICA taxes.
The National Diabetes Education Program encourages people with diabetes to manage their disease by maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy meals, getting regular physical activity, taking diabetes medications as prescribed even when feeling good and testing blood sugar on a regular basis.
To determine if you are eligible for Social Security disability benefits, call the Allsup Disability Evaluation Center at (800) 678-3276 for a free SSDI eligibility evaluation.
ABOUT ALLSUP
Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, Medicare and Medicare Secondary Payer compliance services for individuals, employers and insurance carriers. Founded in 1984, Allsup employs more than 800 professionals who deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. The company is based in Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis. For more information, go to http://www.Allsup.com or visit Allsup on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/
Contact:
[url=">Rebecca Ray
