If you worked in recent years and paid enough in Social Security taxes and now your health makes it impossible for you to work, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.
Your health problems must be expected to last at least a year and must prevent you not only from doing your previous job, but any other kind of work, too.
Social Security also has another disability program, called Supplemental Security Income – or SSI – which you could qualify for if you have a disability that prevents you from working, lack recent work history and have limited income or resources.