Without a doubt, one of the primary criticisms concerning the process of securing Social Security disability benefits is the amount of time that applicants must often wait for decisions, something that can drag on for months.
While this certainly an issue that the Social Security Administration can and should address, it’s important to understand that the agency does have a program in place that provides applicants with disability decisions in a span of only days.
The program in question is the Compassionate Allowances program, which essentially uses advanced technology to identify those cases in which an applicant is diagnosed with one of 225 recognized diseases or conditions that clearly meets the disability standards set by the SSA. This, in turn, enables the SSA to make relatively quick decisions for these often gravely ill applicants.
The Compassionate Allowances program has proven largely effective over the years, as nearly 200,000 severely disabled people have seen their benefits applications expedited and approved.
Interestingly, Acting Social Security Commissioner Carolyn Colvin announced earlier this month that the number of recognized diseases and conditions recognized under the Compassionate Allowances program was being increased from 200 to 225.
Some of the more notable of these 25 newly recognized conditions — which cover 12 cancers, as well as conditions affecting the digestive, neurological and immune systems — include the following:
- Angiosarcoma
- Joubert Syndrome
- Prostate Cancer – Hormone Refractory Disease – or with visceral metastases
- Seckel Syndrome
- Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome
“We are dedicated to providing vulnerable Americans with faster access to disability benefits through our Compassionate Allowances program,” said Colvin. “Social Security disability benefits are a vital lifeline for individuals who are facing severe diseases and we must ensure that they receive the benefits they rightly deserve.”
If you believe that you have been wrongly denied SSD benefits or would like to learn more about the Compassionate Allowances program, consider speaking with an experienced attorney dedicated to securing the assistance you need and deserve.
Source: Social Security Administration News, “Social Security announces new Compassionate Allowances conditions,” Jan. 15, 2014