Social Security Expands Compassionate Allowance Program List
The Social Security Administration has announced five more conditions that qualify for the Compassionate Allowance Program, bringing the total list up to 233 conditions that qualify a person for the program. The five new conditions are fibrolamellar cancer, megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS), megalencephaly capillary malformation syndrome (MCAP), superficial siderosis of the central nervous system and tetrasomy 18p. To date, more than 500,000 people with serious disabilities and terminal diagnoses have been approved through Compassionate Allowances.
The Compassionate Allowance Program is a system that identifies medical conditions and applicants that clearly meet the Social Security standards for disability benefits. The program fast-tracks these applicants through the system so they can start receiving benefits as soon as possible for themselves and their families. Due to the severity of many conditions listed in the Compassionate Allowance Program, many claims are approved based on medical confirmation of the diagnosis alone. Without this program, the typical Social Security process can take weeks or months just to obtain the medical records of an applicant before even beginning to review the claim. An experienced disability claims attorney like those at Harbison & Kavanagh can help you file a Social Security disability claim.
Compassionate Allowances
The Compassionate Allowances initiative helps Social Security reduce waiting time to reach a disability determination for claimants with the most serious disabilities that clearly meet the standards set by the institution. Social Security defines a disability as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to a physical or mental impairment that will either result in death or is expected to continue for at least twelve months or more. Pancreatic cancer, ALS, brain disorders, and a number of rare disorders affecting children all qualify under the Compassionate Allowance Program.
In order to qualify under this initiative, you submit an application in exactly the same way as you would to apply for Social Security disability benefits through the standard process. The Social Security Administration uses cutting edge software technology to identify applications that may qualify under the Compassionate Allowances Program and pulls those for review. The rules for determining whether an applicant in this initiative qualifies for benefits is exactly the same as those used to determine eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. An attorney with experience handling Social Security benefit applications can help you through the process of applying for benefits.
On average, a Social Security disability benefits claim can take six to twelve months for an application decision, but under the Compassionate Allowances initiative the approval process can take only weeks. Families can also start receiving benefits while their application moves through the process, and if the application is denied you are not required to pay back the benefits received during that time.
Call Our Office Today
If you have questions about whether you qualify under Compassionate Allowance or need help applying for Social Security disability benefits, our office is here to help. Call or contact Harbison & Kavanagh in Virginia today to discuss your legal needs.
