Five new conditions were added to the list of Compassionate Allowance Conditions (CACs) by the Social Security Administration (SSA) during the first week of September. Those illnesses that on this list are ones that qualify an individual to receive disability benefits.
The five newly added conditions include megaalencephaly capillary malformation syndrome (MCAP), tetrasomy 18p, fibroalamellar cancer, superficial siderosis of the central nervous system and megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS). These conditions join others such as acute leukemia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and pancreatic cancer on the list. Currently, there are 233 CACs.
As many as a half million individuals currently receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits because they have one of these conditions. The SSA relies upon advanced technology that helps them identify individuals with an illness from the Compassionate Allowance Conditions list. Oftentimes, individuals need only to provide proof of a diagnosis with this condition in order to start receiving disability benefits for it.
Individuals diagnosed with conditions such as these or others in the past typically had to wait weeks for the SSA to acquire patient’s paper files from doctors for them to review them. As the use of electronic medical records has become more widespread, the SSA has been able to speed up their decisions. Now individuals tend to find out more quickly whether they qualify for disability benefits or not.
If you’re suffering from a condition listed on the CAC list and are unable to work, then time’s of the essence. By consulting with a St. Louis attorney, they can let you know whether your condition qualifies you to receive benefits and what the best approach for getting your application approved may be.