When you apply for Social Security Disability benefits in Missouri, you may find the application process to be tedious, long and complex. Depending on circumstances, you may have to go through up to four stages of an appeals process, too, if the U.S. Social Security Administration fails to approve your initial claim.
However, the SSA notes that there are certain conditions and circumstances that may warrant what it calls a “Compassionate Allowance.” What is a Compassionate Allowance, and could your particular medical condition mean a faster processing time for your SSDI claim?
What the compassionate allowance program does
Certain serious or chronic conditions may speed up the processing time for your SSDI claim. The SSA maintains a list of these conditions. Certain cancers, brain disorders and some rare disorders that affect children all appear on it. Some of the cancers that appear on the list include esophageal cancer, gall bladder cancer and certain forms of bladder and breast cancer.
When your condition does not appear
You may feel as if your condition warrants a Compassionate Allowance. However, you may find that it does not appear on the SSA’s list of allowable conditions. You may submit the name of your particular condition for consideration on the SSA website. When doing so, you must also submit certain forms of evidence and background information about the condition and the treatment you receive for it. The administration then researches the condition and makes a decision about whether it meets the Compassionate Allowance criteria.
More information about how to apply and what to include when submitting a condition for Compassionate Allowance consideration is available on the SSA website.