Social Security Adds More Conditions to "Compassionate Allowance" Program
This past February, Social Security issued a press release announcing that it was adding thirty-eight (38) medical conditions to its "compassionate allowance" program. SSA describes its compassionate allowance program as follows:
Compassionate Allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that clearly qualify for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. It allows the agency to electronically target and make speedy decisions for the most obviously disabled individuals.
There are now 88 medical conditions that qualify for compassionate allowance. About half of these conditions are forms of cancer, while the other have are made up of rare diseases, many of which affect children. Among the more common conditions that now qualify for an early approval:
- early onset Alzheimer's Disease
- mixed dementia
- idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- mucosal melanoma
A full list of all of the compassionate allowance conditions may be found by clicking on the link which will take you to Social Security's internal Program Operations Manual System (POMS).
If you or a loved one are afflicted by any of the conditions described under the compassionate allowance program, it is very important that you make that fact known to the adjudicator who is assigned to your claim. You should not assume that the state agency adjudicator is familiar with the compassionate allowance list.
Filed under Delays, Starting the disability process, Strategies for winning by 
Post your comments here. If you would like a case evaluation, please visit http://bit.ly/sshelp
Pings on Social Security Adds More Conditions to "Compassionate Allowance" Program
Comments on Social Security Adds More Conditions to "Compassionate Allowance" Program
Jonathan:
There is a lengthy discussion on this with other disability attorneys on the net. An attorney who has practiced for 35 years has never had a single case involving any of the 38 medical conditions. Other attorneys agreed saying they have never had any cases involving these conditions. Are these conditions so rare that it is likely that I will never encounter these conditions in actual practice? I did have a tay sachs case, but it was a child's SSI case. Are these conditions more geared towards children as you mentioned many of these conditions affect children.