Individuals with certain medical conditions may be eligible for a compassionate allowance for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Conditions such as cancers, brain disorders, rare childhood conditions, and terminal illnesses may qualify for a compassionate allowance. The Law Center for Social Security Disability can help make sure you receive these benefits as quickly as possible and receive a fair amount.
What Constitutes a Compassionate Allowance
The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides compassionate allowances for individuals suffering from rare and terminal conditions. Compassionate allowances are designed to streamline the process so individuals can receive disability benefits faster. These conditions often require extensive and ongoing medical care, resources, and support, and these special allowances account for the time-sensitive nature of many of these conditions.
Conditions Eligible for a Compassionate Allowance
The SSA provides a list of all the illnesses and diseases that are eligible for a compassionate allowance for both adults and children. This is an extensive list that is periodically updated with new, eligible conditions. Some common conditions that individuals may have that allow them to receive a compassionate allowance include:
- Adult-onset Huntington Disease: A progressive neurological condition that affects an individual’s cognitive, behavioral, motor, and psychological faculties. This condition directly affects the brain’s basal ganglia and can spread throughout other areas of the brain over time.
- ALS: This condition and its variations cause degeneration throughout the brain and spine, and cause reduced mobility, tremors, rigidity, and affect memory.
- Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease: A brain condition that affects an individual’s cognitive functions that control memory, speech, judgment, and general functioning. The presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles impede normal brain function and contribute to these symptoms.
- Adult heart transplant wait list: Adults who have heart conditions and are on wait lists 1-4 for a heart transplant may receive a compassionate allowance for their care while they are waiting for a heart. Individuals may suffer from heart failure, and/or heart or valve diseases.
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Scarred lung tissue that is thick and reduces oxygenation in the bloodstream, which affects the brain and organs and prevents them from functioning normally.
- Progressive Muscular Atrophy: A degenerative condition that affects motor neurons. Damage to these neurons affects an individual’s muscles and movements so that over time, they lose their mobility and ability to speak or breathe.
How to Apply for a Compassionate Allowance
If you or your child is suffering from a rare or terminal condition and is seeking a compassionate allowance, you will need to submit a regular disability benefits application. When you apply for Social Security Benefits, you will need to submit your medical records, physician information, basic information, employment history and earnings, and family status. During the application process, the SSA will review your request and take note of your condition. They will automatically apply a compassionate allowance if your illness and application are eligible.
Lawyers Can Help You Receive Compassionate Allowance Benefits in Oklahoma
If you or a loved one is eligible for a compassionate allowance, The Law Center for Social Security Disability is ready to help you navigate the application process. We advocate for you and help prevent or respond to obstacles related to your request for benefits. Reach out to us today to talk with our team.