The Compassionate Allowances list provided by the Social Security Administration is an important program for many disabled people. It provides an expedited processing option for Social Security Disability benefits for applicants who clearly meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability. This can save important processing time for individuals who have a clear disability. The Compassionate Allowances list provides a list of physical or mental impairments that obviously qualify for disability.
The Compassionate Allowances list is not separate from the Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs, and applicants apply the same way they otherwise would. If the applicant’s disability is not on the Compassionate Allowances list, it will still be processed as a claim for disability benefits based on the medical condition they are suffering from. The Compassionate Allowances program, however, allows for qualifying medical conditions to be quickly identified based on minimal objective medical information.
The severely disabled may be able to receive disability payments much quicker than according to the usual application review process for qualifying medical conditions on the Compassionate Allowances list, which can be exceptionally important for disabled individuals. Disability benefits are an important resource and lifeline for many disabled individuals and their families, so it is important to understand the application process and different options for applying.
The Social Security Disability claims process can seem complicated, complex and overwhelming, but knowledge of the process, and what the SSA is looking for, can make it less so. It is also important to be familiar with the entire process start to finish, including the appeals process, to help the disabled individual successfully make a claim for disability payments.
Source: Asbury Park Press, “Social Security offers Compassionate Allowances,” Nov. 27, 2016
