SSA Significantly Expands Compassionate Allowances List
The Social Security Administration recently expanded its Compassionate Allowances program to allow more people to receive benefits quickly when they are unable to work due to a serious medical condition.
September 28, 2012
SSA Significantly Expands Compassionate Allowances ListThe Social Security Administration recently made a major expansion of its Compassionate Allowances program, which provides expedited claims processing for applicants suffering from certain medical conditions so severe that they automatically qualify an individual as "disabled" under the SSA's definition.
The Compassionate Allowances Program
On August 11, 2012, the SSA added 52 medical conditions to the Compassionate Allowances program, increasing the total number of qualifying conditions from 113 to 165. The purpose of the program is to quickly identify applicants with conditions that are always severe enough to warrant a disability finding, streamlining the application process and allowing them to receive benefits sooner.
Under other circumstances, an applicant who is disabled by a condition not included in the Compassionate Allowances list cannot receive disability benefits without first proving that he or she meets the SSA's definition of disability. This requires proof that the individual is unable to work because of a medical condition that is expected to last for at least a year or is expected to result in death. The applicant may be required to undergo a medical examination to assist the SSA in determining whether the condition is severe enough to warrant a disability finding.
Through the Compassionate Allowances program, the SSA avoids many of the time-consuming steps that are involved in the disability determination process. The list of qualifying conditions is determined based on information from experts in the medical and scientific community, as well as research conducted with the National Institutes of Health. The SSA also gathers information from public outreach hearings and comments from the community.
The updated Compassionate Allowances list includes conditions such as early-onset Alzheimer's disease, autoimmune disorders, certain cancers, as well as some neurological disorders and mental illnesses. To learn more about Social Security disability benefits and how to apply, contact a knowledgeable Social Security lawyer.
Article provided by Moga Law Group, PLLC
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