The COVID-19 pandemic brought about the phenomenon of long COVID, which is now challenging how we approach disability benefits in the United States. An estimated three million to ten million Americans currently suffer from long COVID but the challenge exists in how to support a diagnosis and whether or not it can be expected to last long enough to qualify as a long-term disability. 

The Struggle of Working With Social Security

President Biden has continues to push for coverage of long COVID with Social Security Disability benefits, stating in July, “to make sure Americans with long COVID who have a disability have access to the rights and resources that are due under the disability law.” Progress has been slow, though, as little is understood about long COVID and how it can have such different effects on individual sufferers. One problem is that many Americans can’t produce proof of a positive COVID test since tests were in short supply at the pandemic’s start.

There is Hope for the Future

Some Americans suffering from long COVID have started to receive overdue disability benefits from the Social Security Administration and the Biden Administration continues to push for resolution. Many sufferers succeed by using good legal representation, like a Social Security disability law firm Orlando-based. Disability benefits are having to change to accommodate something different from anything they have encountered before.

It is hoped that long COVID will be easier to claim disability benefits in the future and relieve sufferers of their extended uncertainty. With the continued push of the Biden Administration, it seems more and more likely that the process could eventually improve.

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