Oxner Thomas + Permar Blog

Social Security Administration adds Compassionate Allowances

  The Social Security Administration has recently announced plans to begin a new "Compassionate Allowances" initiative that aims to approve the most obviously disabled applicants immediately.  It is no secret that Social Security's track record in providing quick justice for most claimants is horrible.  The program will allow certain claimants with serious impairments (such as leukemia) to get benefits easily.  The press release is not specific, but it appears that the medical evidence required to qualify for the program is not as stringent as other types of diseases not in the program.
   The best news may be that Social Security plans to add other diseases and impairments to the list.  For years Social Security has used impairment listings in their disability evaluations.  However, the medical evidence required to meet a listing is usually difficult to meet or requires expensive testing.  I think this move shows that Social Security is making progress on their commitment to reduce backlogs, but I suspect that the impairments included in the Compassionate Allowances program were so severe that they were going to be approved more likely than not without this new program.
   You can go to www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances to see the impairments that meet this new program.