Disability, General, Online Services

Compassionate Allowances: Five Conditions Added to Fast Track

August 27, 2020 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: August 19, 2021

Processing disability claims quickly and accurately is important to us.  It is through this commitment to you that we use the Compassionate Allowances program to help us identify and fast-track cases where people have medical conditions and diseases that are most likely to meet Social Security’s standards for disability benefits.

In August, we added five conditions — Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumors, GM1 Gangliosidosis – Infantile and Juvenile Forms, Nicolaides-Baraister Syndrome, Rubinstein-Tybai Syndrome, and Secondary Adenocarcinoma of the Brain — to this essential list.  Additions to the list allow us to ensure that anyone with qualifying disabilities can receive the benefits they need quickly.

“Social Security’s top priority is to serve the public, and we remain committed to improving the disability determination process for Americans,” said Commissioner Saul.  “Our Compassionate Allowances program gets us one step closer to reaching our goals by helping us accelerate the disability process for people who are likely to get approved for benefits due to the severity of their condition.”

The Compassionate Allowances program quickly identifies claims where the applicant’s condition or disease clearly meets our statutory standard for disability.  Due to the severe nature of many of these conditions, these claims are often allowed based on medical confirmation of the diagnosis alone.  To date, more than 600,000 people with severe disabilities have been approved through this accelerated, policy-compliant disability process.  Over the last decade, the list has grown to a total of 242 conditions, including certain cancers, adult brain disorders, and a number of rare disorders that affect children.

We incorporate leading technology to identify potential Compassionate Allowances and make quick decisions.  When a person applies for disability benefits, we must obtain medical records in order to make an accurate determination.  Our Health IT brings the speed and efficiency of electronic medical records to the disability determination process.  With electronic records transmission, we are able to quickly obtain a claimant’s medical information, review it, and make a determination faster than ever before.

Please share the Compassionate Allowances program with friends and family who may need these vital benefits.

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About the Author

Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Comments

  1. middlepurple604

    • Thurman P.

      If you are receiving SSDI in a country that is permitted and paying for medicare, can you start receiving that money so that you can purchase health care in that country that you are residing? Also, say in 5 years, can you apply for Medicare again if you dicide to return to the US?

      • Vonda

        Hi Thurman, thanks for using our blog. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for details on how to terminate Medicare Part B. Keep in mind that if you want to re-enroll later, you will have to wait for the General Enrollment Period (GEP) to sign up. The GEP lasts from January 1 through March 31. Coverage would begin July 1. Most people who sign up for Part B during the GEP will have a 10 percent increase in monthly premiums for each 12-month period they did not enroll, but were eligible. We hope this helps!

  2. John A.

    well these allowances produce the best results after adding said 5 conditions. https://bit.ly/3rK0gVk

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