New conditions added to Compassionate Allowance list

March 21, 2013

New conditions added to Compassionate Allowance list

Article provided by Shifrin Newman Smith Inc.
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Applying and qualifying for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits can be a long and trying process. In the majority of cases the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires applicants to prove that they a condition that prevents them from working for at least a year. If the SSA rejects the initial application, the wait for SSD benefits can be significantly longer as applicants must file and win an appeal.

Although this process is difficult for any applicant, it is especially hard on those who have a medical condition that is so clearly disabling that it is clear that they would qualify for benefits. To address this problem, the SSA implemented a program called "Compassionate Allowances."

Under this program, the SSD applications of applicants with certain disorders are decided much faster. Unlike other applicants, who can wait months or years for a decision, Compassionate Allowance applicants can often receive a decision in as little as two weeks.

Only SSD applicants who have a medical condition that is so serious that it obviously meets federal disability standards are eligible for the Compassionate Allowances program. Most of the conditions on the Compassionate Allowances list are brain disorders, cancers and rare genetic disorders. In some cases, the SSA requires a condition on the Compassionate Allowances list to have progressed to a certain stage (or be untreatable or inoperable) before applicants can take advantage of the program.

To determine which medical impairments are included on the Compassionate Allowances list, the SSA regularly consults scientific and medical experts, the National Institutes of Health and comments of personnel within the Social Security and disability systems. After the consultations, the SSA periodically adds new conditions to the list.

Most recently, the SSA added 35 new Compassionate Allowances conditions in December 2012. Currently, the list has a total of 200 qualifying conditions. Some of the recently added conditions were:
-Child T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma
-Malignant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
-Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
-Sinonasal Cancer
-Adult Onset Huntington Disease
-Aplastic Anemia
-Dravet Syndrome
-Fatal Familial Insomnia
-Leimyosarcoma

An attorney can help

If you are considering seeking SSD benefits, it is wise to consult with an experienced disability attorney. An attorney can assist you with your application to make sure that your disability is clearly documented and can identify any opportunity to expedite your approval. Additionally, if your application is rejected, an attorney can help you put together an effective appeal.