Social Security Announces 200 New Compassionate Allowances Conditions | Dec 2012

Press Release
Thursday, December 6, 2012

Fast Track Disability Process Will Now Include 200 Conditions

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 35 additional Compassionate Allowances conditions are in effect, bringing the total number of conditions in the expedited disability process to 200. Compassionate Allowances are a way to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that, by definition, meet Social Security’s standards for disability benefits. The program fast-tracks disability decisions to ensure that Americans with the most serious disabilities receive their benefit decisions within days instead of months or years. These conditions primarily include certain cancers, adult brain disorders, and a number of rare disorders that affect children.

“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. As a result, Social Security eliminated this part of the application process for people who have a condition on the list.

Social Security has held seven public hearings and worked with experts to develop the list of Compassionate Allowances conditions. The hearings also have helped the agency identify ways to improve the disability process for applicants with Compassionate Allowances conditions.

For more information on the Compassionate Allowances initiative, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.

New Compassionate Allowances Conditions

Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Adult Onset Huntington Disease
Allan-Herndon-Dudley Syndrome
Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma
Aplastic Anemia
Beta Thalassemia Major
Bilateral Optic Atrophy- Infantile
Caudal Regression Syndrome –
Types III and IV
Child T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma
Congenital Lymphedema
DeSanctis Cacchione Syndrome
Dravet Syndrome
Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma
Erdheim Chester Disease
Fatal Familial Insomnia
Fryns Syndrome
Fulminant Giant Cell Myocrditis
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome
Hepatorenal Syndrome
Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome
Leiomyosarcoma
Malignant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
Malignant Germ Cell Tumor
MECP 2 Duplication Syndrome
Menkes Disease - Classic or Infantile Onset Form
NFU-1 Mitochondrial Disease
Non-Ketotic Hyperglcinemia
Peritoneal Mucinous Carcinomatosis
Phelan- McDermid Syndrome
Retinopathy of Prematurity - Stage V
Roberts Syndrome
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency - Childhood
Sinonasal Cancer
Transplant Coronary Artery Vasculopathy
Usher Syndrome - Type I

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http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice/pr/compassionate-allowances200conditions-pr.html