Changes to neurological disorders listings

Social Security has rewritten the listings for neurological disorders effective September 29, 2016.

The revised introduction to Listing Section 11.00 includes criteria for how to establish “disorganization of motor function” and how to evaluate those criteria.  If Social Security does not find a person disabled on this basis alone but finds marked limitation in physical function and any one of four areas of mental function, it will find no residual functional capacity for work.

Some of the highlights of the changes are: epilepsy is combined into revised and expanded Listing 11.03, the IQ factor for cerebral palsy in Listing 11.07 is removed, listing 11.09 for Multiple Sclerosis now includes marked limitation in physical functioning in addition to mental functioning, listing 11.20 for coma or persistent vegetative state persisting for at least one month is added, and listing 11.22 for motor neuron disorders other than ALS is added.

The children’s listings are rearranged to more closely parallel the adult listings. Listing 111.06 for motor dysfunction is removed.

Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Neurological Disorders, 81 Fed. Reg. 43048 (July 1, 2016).

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