007.02 DEFINITIONS OF DISABILITY AND BLINDNESS.

The following definitions are used by the Social Security Administration and the Department’s designated Medical Consultant Review process in making a determination for the Assistance to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled payment program and the State Disability Program: (A) An individual is considered disabled for the Assistance to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled payment program when it is not possible for the individual to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to any medically determined physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted, or can be expected to last, for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. A child through age 17 is considered disabled if the individual suffers from any medically determined physical or mental impairment of comparable severity. (B) An individual is considered blind for the Assistance to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled payment program if that individual has central visual acuity of 20 over 200, or less, in the better eye with correcting lens, or a field defect in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance of no greater than 20 degrees. (C) An individual is considered disabled for the State Disability Program if it is not possible for the individual to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determined physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted, or can be expected to last, for a continuous period of not less than 6 months from onset and not more than 12 months. The Department’s designated medical reviewer always makes the determination for the State Disability Program. The individual cannot be ineligible for other Medicaid programs.