Understanding the Compassionate Allowance Program for Social Security Disability Claims
Are you wondering about the Compassionate Allowance Program for Social Security disability claims?
My name is Kaitlin Wildoner, and I’m an attorney who helps disabled clients obtain their disability benefits as quickly as possible so they can focus on getting better.
In today’s video, we talk about the Compassionate Allowance Program and what it may mean to a Social Security disability claim.
What Is the Compassionate Allowance Program?
The Social Security Disability Insurance Compassionate Allowance Program is designed to expedite the disability benefits approval process for individuals with severe medical conditions that clearly meet the Social Security Administration’s standards for disability benefits.
How It Works
The Compassionate Allowances Program quickly identifies diseases and other medical conditions that meet the Social Security Administration’s standards for disability benefits. These conditions often include:
- Certain cancers
- Adult brain disorders
- Various rare disorders affecting children
The Social Security Administration uses technology to flag and fast-track these claims, which can sometimes significantly reduce the wait time for a disability determination.
Who Qualifies for Compassionate Allowances?
To qualify for the Compassionate Allowances Program, an applicant must have a condition that is listed on the Social Security Administration’s official Compassionate Allowances Conditions List.
Currently, there are about 278 conditions on the list, including (but not limited to):
- Cancers
- ALS
- Various rare diseases
- Certain specific children’s illnesses
The Social Security Administration uses the same criteria to evaluate Compassionate Allowance conditions as it does for general SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applications.
The Medical Criteria
To be approved, the condition must:
- Result in the inability to perform any substantial gainful activity
- Be expected to result in death or last for a continuous period of at least 12 months
How to Apply for the Compassionate Allowances Program
There is no separate application process for the Compassionate Allowance Program. When applying for SSDI or SSI, applicants may want to indicate that their condition appears on the Compassionate Allowances Conditions List — that can sometimes help Social Security to flag the application for that expedited processing.
You may be able to help the approval process move more quickly by ensuring that medical records confirming the Compassionate Allowance diagnosis are submitted with the application.
How Fast Are Compassionate Allowance Decisions?
While the Social Security Administration does not guarantee a specific turnaround time, the Compassionate Allowances Program can lead to a benefit determination within days, instead of the usual months.
If an application is denied, applicants will of course have the right to appeal the decision within 60 days of that determination.
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