The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a list of 242 conditions that qualify for Compassionate Allowances, which is a program that aims to quickly identify individuals with the most serious disabilities to receive disability benefits.
To qualify for the Social Security Compassionate Allowance, your disability must be severe, listed in the Compassionate Allowance conditions list, and adhere to a specific set of criteria related to the progression of your condition.
Fortunately, the Compassionate Allowance can be claimed for both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Your application for benefits can be approved in much less time if you meet the requirements, which we have outlined below.
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How Do I Know If My Condition Fits Compassionate Allowances?
The SSA Compassionate Allowances program maintains a list of conditions that include certain cancers, various forms of brain disorders, rare genetic disorders, and other illnesses. Some of the conditions listed are:
- Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Breast Cancer
- ALS
- Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
- Esophageal cancer
- Mixed Dementias
Conditions like the ones listed above qualify because they prevent the applicant from working for a year or are likely to result in death. The complete list of 242 current Compassionate Allowances conditions is available on the SSA website.
If your condition is not listed but you think it should be because it is severe, you can actually request that the SSA consider the condition for inclusion by submitting a request through the SSA website.
The list of accepted Compassionate Allowance conditions is expected to be expanded further as the SSA identifies new conditions. This is due to SSA continuously consulting with medical and scientific experts and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
How Are Compassionate Allowance Claims Conducted?
It is important to know that although you might suffer from a medical condition on the SSA list, that does not automatically qualify you for disability benefits. Each condition has specific information and specifications that dictate if you qualify, such as the progression of the condition.
For example, breast cancer could qualify as a Compassionate Allowance if it is in stage five, has metastasized, or is predicted to metastasize.
Social Security reviews all disability applications to see which applicants qualify for Compassionate Allowances. The SSA uses advanced computer software as part of their Quick Disability Determinations (QDD) process to help screen applications and identify potential Compassionate Allowances.
The QDD scans an application for keywords and phrases and verifies that all required documentation is included. When screening an applicant’s claim, the SSA will scan for the following:
- The name of the medical condition, alternative names, or abbreviations
- Medications the applicant is on
- Work history, age, and personal information
The amount of medical information you need to submit depends on the nature of your condition. If the submitted paperwork, medical evidence, and test results provided show that you have a qualifying disorder, you could be approved for benefits almost immediately.
For example, an applicant with esophageal cancer would want to provide medical evidence showing clinical history and examinations that describe the diagnostic features of the impairment. You should also include the most up-to-date pathology report from an esophagoscopy and imaging reports.
Find Support for Your Disability Claim
The SSA gives Compassionate Allowance cases priority and they are decided in a faster time than regular claims. If you believe that you or a loved one may qualify for the Social Security Compassionate Allowance program, we recommend that you consult with a disability representative immediately.
At Disability Apply, our qualified team can help assess your claim and see if you are eligible for the program. We will assist you in gathering all the necessary paperwork, completing the application correctly the first time, and working through the appeals process if necessary.
Give yourself or a loved one the best chance to receive eligible benefits during this difficult time. Contact us today to get started.