If you have done any online research about how to quickly get approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you have likely run across the concept of a Compassionate Allowance and wondered what that means. The Social Security Administration (SSA) created the Compassionate Allowance concept to quickly identify medical conditions that meet SSA’s standards for disability benefits, and therefore, can be approved on a rapid timetable.
In determining which conditions qualify for Compassionate Allowance status, SSA receives input from the public, the Social Security and Disability Determination Service communities, along with counsel from medical and scientific experts, research with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and information received from past public outreach hearings regarding potential Compassionate Allowance conditions.
Some of the conditions that currently fall under the Compassionate Allowance program include: ALS Parkinsonism Dementia Complex, Breast Cancer (with distant metastases or inoperable or unresectable), Ewing Sarcoma, Hydranencephaly, Juvenile Onset Huntington Disease, Primary Effusion Lymphoma, Prostate Cancer, Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome, and Ventricular Assist Device Recipient.
If you have one of the above conditions, or another condition listed on the Compassionate Allowance page, you can click on the condition to see the requirements SSA has to find a Claimant disabled based on that condition, including information about required diagnostic testing, imaging, and physical findings, as well as what kind of treatment may be expected for an individual with such a condition.
If you or someone you love suffers from one of the Compassionate Allowance conditions, it may be wise to apply for Social Security benefits today. SSI recipients cannot be found disabled prior to the date of their application, so time is of the essence with respect to SSI claims. For help, or if you have further questions, contact a lawyer.