Sometimes a person in Missouri becomes so ill that working has become impossible. This can be a severe blow not just to a person’s psyche, but also to their pocketbook. After all, many people will say their job is a part of their identity, and without a paycheck it won’t be long before they start to feel the impact of their situation financially.
For these reasons, people who are so ill that they cannot work can apply for Social Security disability benefits for illness. They may be concerned that it will be a long time before their SSD claim is approved. However, the Social Security Administration has a program that may shorten the length of time it takes to approve for applications for benefits.
Under the Compassionate Allowance program, applicants for Social Security disability benefits who have certain medical conditions that clearly meet the SSA’s definition of disability will have their application expedited. This often based solely on the applicant’s diagnosis. An applicant need not do anything special when submitting their claim in order to be considered for the Compassionate Allowance program.
Recently, the SSA has announced that five more medical conditions were added to the Compassionate Allowance list. They are: tetrasomy 18p, superficial siderosis of the central nervous system, megalencephaly capillary malformation syndrome, megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome and fibrolamellar cancer. This is in addition to the many illnesses and injuries already on the list, including certain rare disorders, brain disorders and cancers.
When a person is suffering from a severe illness, they may just want to be able to focus on their health. However, if they cannot work they will quickly start feeling the financial strain, especially as their medical expenses increase. Fortunately, people in such situations can apply for disability benefits to help offset the many costs associated with having a disabling illness.