f you or a loved one find you can’t do the same activities you did before you were diagnosed with MS, the Social Security Administration (SSA), may be able to assist you. The SSA has two types of benefit programs to provide you with the financial support you may need when dealing with a disabling illness.

In study done by the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, researchers named MS the second most expensive of chronic conditions, behind only congestive heart failure. Per person, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates that the diseases costs $69,000 each year, which adds up to about $28 billion in total in the United States.

Most of the medical costs come from the medication to treat the illness. A study from Oregon State University and the Oregon Health and Science University found that the average annual price for the disease modifying drugs (DMDs) alone was about $60,000. Though there are many different drugs on the market, Healthline found that all of the DMDs were priced between $4,500 and $6,000 per month.

MS can be diagnosed at any time during a person’s life, but most people get the disorder between 20 and 40 years of age. Because MS is diagnosed so young, the financial burden is even greater. Though many patients are covered by insurance, 70 percent report having trouble paying for drugs, 16.4 reported having a lot of difficulty, and 21 percent said they had to sacrifice on food, heat, and other basic living expenses to afford the drugs, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society explained.

When you apply for disability benefits, the SSA evaluates your claim using it’s official list of impairments, the Blue Book. If you meet or equal the Blue Book listing for MS, you will be approved for benefits.