People who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are unable to work so they can support themselves. To qualify for these benefits, the injury or illness must be severe enough to prevent the individual from being able to earn a gainful income for at least 12 months.
Sadly, there are some applicants who have conditions that are so devastating that they aren’t expected to survive or that there’s no way that the individual would be able to ever earn a living. People who have certain conditions may qualify for expedited benefits based on the compassionate allowances list.
How are these applications flagged for expedited approval?
The application system will automatically flag applications that contain conditions that are on the compassionate allowances list. The Social Security Administration maintains a list of these conditions, so anyone who’s diagnosed with one of these conditions should ensure they list it properly on the application.
The conditions on this list are updated frequently. Some of the conditions currently on the list include:
- Adult onset Huntington’s disease
- Pulmonary atresia
- Early onset Alzheimer’s disease
- Pleural mesothelioma
- Ewing sarcoma
- Plasmablastic lymphoma
- Thyroid cancer
- Lewy body dementia
Anyone who applies for SSDI or SSI must complete their application thoroughly and accurately. Any missteps can lead to the application being denied, which could be devastating to an individual who needs benefits as quickly as possible. Working with someone familiar with these matters and who can assist with any appeals may be beneficial for people seeking benefits.