April 18th, 2012
Last week, the nation’s Social Security Administration announced that 52 medical conditions would be added to the organization’s Compassionate Allowances program beginning in August 2012. The program is designed to speed review of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applications for those individuals with certain serious medical conditions such as neurological disorders and certain types of cancer. The Compassionate Allowances program provides speedy decisions for severely disabled Americans who may not have months or years to await a disability benefits decision. The list now includes 165 disorders.
Since the Compassionate Allowances program was introduced in 2008, approximately 173,000 severely disabled citizens received an expedited SSDI application approval. Last year, almost 61,000 SSDI applications were fast-tracked using the program. The Compassionate Allowances program uses information technology and statutory disability standards to make faster SSDI benefit decisions. Some of the conditions on the program list include rare genetic disorders, certain types of cancer, early-onset Alzheimer’s, specific brain conditions, and immune system disorders.
Earlier this month, the Social Security Administration also sought comments from healthcare providers and patient groups regarding suggested visual disorders criteria for SSDI benefits. The Administration is currently revising its Listing of Impairments that may qualify an individual for SSDI benefits in an effort to make speedier and more accurate disability determinations. The Listing of Impairments outlines medical conditions that will result in a presumption of disability if expected to last at least 12 months.
Additionally, the Social Security Administration is expanding its online application process and recently awarded eight new research grants focused on improving the SSDI application process. The grants, administered through the Disability Determination Process Small Grant Program, will analyze the Compassionate Allowances program, enrollment issues, homelessness, and the organization’s Wounded Warriors initiative. The aim of the organization appears focused on reducing the Social Security Administration’s lengthy backlog of SSDI applications. If you are no longer able to work due to a disability, a knowledgeable Boston social security disability attorney can answer your questions and assist you with the SSDI application process.
Contact the law firm of Pulgini & Norton, LLP, if you need assistance filing your SSDI claim. Our skilled Hyde Park social security disability lawyers are available to help you with each step of the SSDI application process. If your SSDI application was previously denied, our lawyers are also available to represent your interests throughout the appeals process. The experienced attorneys at Pulgini & Norton represent disabled individuals throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To discuss your SSDI claim with a hardworking advocate today, contact Pulgini & Norton through our website or call us at 781-843-2200.
Additional Resources:Social Security Announces New Conditions for Compassionate Allowances Program, Press Release dated April 11, 2012
Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Visual Disorders, 20 CFR Part 404 dated February 13, 2012