The Social Security Administration Announces Additions to its Compassionate Allowances Program
Those with various types of medical conditions may be able to receive federal disability checks more rapidly under the Social Security Administration’s fast-track system according to a recent announcement made by the agency. The WSJ is reporting that “some 40,000 to 50,000 Americans could benefit from the expansion in 2010, which will begin on March 1.”
The fast-track program began with 50 specified diseases for which one could apply and receive benefits. The agency has recently expanded the list of diseases to an additional 38 which includes Alzheimer’s. People with a one of the listed medical conditions will be automatically approved for disability payments which will allow them to accelerate a previously lengthy process of denials and appeals that many of these patients go through.
The Compassionate Allowances program which is geared toward speeding up the application process for people who can’t work due to a specific medical condition. According to the Social Security website: “Compassionate allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that invariably qualify under the Listing of Impairments based on minimal objective medical information”.
The agency recently announced in a press release the following:
“The addition of these new conditions expands the scope of Compassionate Allowances to a broader subgroup of conditions like early-onset Alzheimer’s disease,” Commissioner Astrue said. “The expansion we are announcing today means tens of thousands of Americans with devastating disabilities will now get approved for benefits in a matter of days rather than months and years.”