| It can take months for the Social Security | | | | communities, and Social Security and Disability |
| Administration (SSA) to determine the eligibility of a | | | | Determination Services (DDS). These hearings |
| person applying for Social Security Disability Insurance | | | | reviewed types of cancer, other rare diseases, brain |
| (SSDI). For those claimants with extreme medical | | | | injury, stroke, and dementia, such as early-onset |
| conditions, there is no time to wait. | | | | Alzheimer's disease. SSA also identified conditions that |
| According to SSA statistics, more than 2.5 million | | | | met SSA's definition of disability. |
| people are filing for Social Security Disability Insurance | | | | More hearings are being planned. SSA expects that |
| (SSDI) every year. That is a staggering number of | | | | the expertise from these groups will help SSA grow |
| cases. | | | | the list of qualifying conditions and improve efficiencies |
| Disability Benefits Delivered | | | | in identifying people who immediately qualify for SSDI |
| SSA developed the Compassionate Allowance | | | | benefits. |
| initiative to more effectively identify applicants who | | | | Expediting Disability Claims |
| clearly meet SSA's criteria of disabling conditions. A | | | | The Compassionate Allowance initiative also |
| Compassionate Allowance Case (CAL) is identified as | | | | established a Quick Disability Determination (QDD) |
| one that undeniably qualifies for SSDI benefits. | | | | process for DDS state agencies to follow. Special |
| SSA has identified 50 conditions that meet the SSA's | | | | units within the agencies expedite benefits quickly to |
| definition of a disability, which is a condition that renders | | | | those claimants who clearly meet the criteria for Social |
| someone totally unable to work for a year or longer, | | | | Security Disability insurance. Claims are processed |
| and could result in death. Confirmation of the medical | | | | within 20 days, instead of months. |
| diagnosis of the condition is often all that is needed to | | | | Applying for Disability Benefits |
| get approval for benefits under the Compassionate | | | | Filing for disability benefits, however, can be a daunting |
| Allowance process. The application must also be as | | | | experience. The SSA Web site provides the current |
| complete as possible, with supporting medical | | | | list of 50 conditions that qualify for Compassionate |
| information easily obtainable. The Compassionate | | | | Allowance, and an online application process. |
| Allowance initiative significantly speeds up the process | | | | SSDI advocacy groups also offer expert guidance and |
| so that people with these conditions can get the | | | | help with filing for disability benefits. |
| benefits they need as soon as possible, often within | | | | According to SSA's Web site, "Social Security has an |
| days of filing for disability benefits. | | | | obligation to provide benefits quickly to applicants |
| Qualifying Disability Conditions Expected to Grow | | | | whose medical conditions are so serious that their |
| The initial list of Compassionate Allowance conditions | | | | conditions obviously meet disability standards." The |
| was developed through a series of public hearings. | | | | Compassionate Allowance initiative is helping to more |
| The hearings reached out to families affected by | | | | efficiently meet that obligation. |
| certain disabilities, the medical and scientific | | | | |