Social Security Adds to List of Disability Conditions

The Social Security Administration has added 35 medical conditions – including adult non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Dravet’s syndrome – to its list of conditions that qualify for expedited disability claims processing for Pennsylvania residents who suffer from them.

The new additions push the total number of so-called “Compassionate Allowances” to 200.

Compassionate Allowances are a way to quickly identify diseases and medical conditions that meet Social Security’s standards for disability benefits. The program fast-tracks cases to ensure that people with the most serious disabilities receive benefit decisions within days instead of months or years.

Among the current allowable conditions: certain cancers, adult brain disorders, and a number of rare child disorders.

If an injury or illness prevents you from returning to your job, you may qualify for monthly Social Security Disability payments. A qualified Pennsylvania Social Security Disability attorney can guide you through the process.

Following is a statement from Commissioner of Social Security Michael J. Astrue:

“We have achieved another milestone for the Compassionate Allowances program, reaching 200 conditions,” Commissioner Astrue said. “Nearly 200,000 people with severe disabilities nationwide have been quickly approved, usually in less than two weeks, through the program since it began in October 2008.”

By definition, these conditions are so severe that Social Security does not need to fully develop the applicant’s work history to make a decision.

Some of the 35 new allowable conditions are:

• Adult Onset Huntington Disease
• Aplastic Anemia
• Child T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma
• Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma
• Fryns Syndrome
• Malignant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
• Malignant Germ Cell Tumor
• Menkes Disease
• Hyperglycinemia
• Roberts Syndrome.

A complete list of the 35 new Compassionate Allowances is available here.

Social Security Disability provides monthly payments to disabled individuals in two categories: (a) Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD); and (b) Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Both programs require proof of disability. SSI is for disabled people in financial need. SSD is for disabled workers who have paid into the Social Security system through prior work.