Press Release
Thursday, December 6, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security Announces New Compassionate Allowances Conditions
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 Hyperglycinemia
- 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
Press Release
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security Field Offices to Close to the Public a Half Hour Early Each Day and at Noon on Wednesdays
Effective November 19, 2012, Social Security field offices nationwide will close to the public 30 minutes early each day.** For example, a field office that is usually open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. will close daily at 3:00 p.m. In addition, beginning January 2, 2013, offices will close to the public at noon every Wednesday.
While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow them to complete face-to-face interviews and process claims work without incurring the cost of overtime. The significantly reduced funding provided by Congress under the continuing resolution for the first six months of the fiscal year makes it impossible for the agency to provide the overtime needed to handle service to the public as it has done in the past.
In addition, on November 23, the day after Thanksgiving, all Social Security field offices will be closed to the public. As we did last year, field office employees working that day will focus on reducing backlogged workloads.
Most Social Security services do not require a visit to a local office. Many services, including applying for retirement, disability or Medicare benefits, signing up for direct deposit, replacing a Medicare card, obtaining a proof of income letter or informing us of a change of address or telephone number are conveniently available at www.ssa.gov.
** NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS—Due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy, Social Security offices in New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island, N.Y. will delay implementing these new office hours.
Press Release
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
For Immediate Release
Commissioner Astrue Receives 2012 President's Award from The Arc
Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, received the 2012 President's Award presented by The Arc, one of the largest charitable organizations in the United States that serves and advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The President's Award honors those whose work makes a positive impact upon The Arc, its future, and the people they serve.
"Throughout his tenure, Commissioner Astrue has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to addressing the needs of people with disabilities. Bringing his unique business perspective to the Social Security Administration, he revolutionized the way it has been run and helped better serve individuals with the most significant disabilities," said Peter Berns, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc. "Knowing that Social Security is not just numbers and getting checks out on time, but people's lives, he has become a true ally to the disability community in our nation. We are thrilled to be honoring him at our national convention."
The Arc honored Commissioner Astrue for his steadfast commitment to people with disabilities, including people with I/DD, since the beginning of his tenure in February 2007. Under his leadership, Social Security has reduced the average length of time applicants wait to receive a decision on their claim for Social Security disability benefits. Key components to this reduction were his development and expansion of initiatives such as Compassionate Allowances and Quick Disability Determinations. This two-part, fast-track system makes disability decisions in days instead of months or years and provides benefits quickly to applicants with the most severe disabilities. In the last two years, nearly 300,000 people have been awarded disability benefits under these innovative initiatives.
Commissioner Astrue received the President's Award at The Arc's 2012 National Convention and International Forum, an event that brought members of the intellectual and developmental disability community together to advocate for human rights of people with I/DD worldwide.
For more information about the Compassionate Allowances program, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
Press Release
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security Announces 1.7 Percent Benefit Increase for 2013
Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 62 million Americans will increase 1.7 percent in 2013, the Social Security Administration announced today.
The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that more than 56 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2013. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2012.
Some other changes that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $113,700 from $110,100. Of the estimated 163 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2013, nearly 10 million will pay higher taxes as a result of the increase in the taxable maximum.
Information about Medicare changes for 2013, when announced, will be available at www.Medicare.gov. For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums.
The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.
NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS:A fact sheetshowing the effect of the various automatic adjustments is attached.
Press Release
Friday, July 13, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security to Add Adult Huntington's Disease to Compassionate Allowances Program
The Social Security Administration will add symptomatic Huntington's Disease to its Compassionate Allowances program for adults by the end of the year. The expedited disability process will identify people with significant symptoms of this devastating neurological disease. Adult Huntington's Disease will accompany the designation of Juvenile Huntington's Disease as a Compassionate Allowance condition, which will be effective next month.
"Woody Guthrie, the composer of 'This Land is Your Land,' among hundreds of other folk classics, suffered and died from Huntington's Disease, a progressive and always fatal disease of the brain that affects nearly 30,000 people in the U.S.," said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security. "Tomorrow, July 14, would be his 100th birthday and thus it is a fitting time for this announcement."
Compassionate Allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that invariably qualify under the statutory standard for disability. The Compassionate Allowances 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.
For more information on the Compassionate Allowances initiative, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
Press Release
Friday, June 29, 2012
For Immediate Release
One Million People Go Online to Access their Social Security Statement
Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced that in less than two months' time, one million people have gone online, created a My Social Security account and viewed their Social Security Statement.
"The online Social Security Statement is a huge success," Commissioner Astrue said. "The online Statement meets our commitment to provide Americans with an easy, efficient process to obtain an estimate of their potential Social Security benefits. I recommend that everyone get in the habit of checking their online Statement each year, around their birthday, for example."
The online Statement provides estimates for retirement, disability and survivors benefits. It also provides workers as young as 18 a convenient year-round way to determine whether their earnings are accurately posted to their Social Security records, which was not possible when the agency mailed paper Statements only to those 25 and older.
On May 1, Social Security unveiled this new addition to its popular suite of electronic services at www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement, which allows people to access their Social Security earnings and benefit information securely and conveniently.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), users are giving the online Statement a score of 89 -- making it competitive with Social Security's other top-rated, best-in-government online services, such as the Retirement Estimator and online retirement application. The ACSI tracks trends in customer's satisfaction and provides valuable benchmarking insights for companies and government agencies.
To access your online Statement, you must be at least 18 years old, have a Social Security number, have a valid email address and have a U.S. mailing address.
To learn more or to create your own account, please go to www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement.
Press Release
Monday, June 25, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security and Kaiser Permanente Begin Partnership to Speed Up Disability Decisions
Unprecedented Agreement Will Cut Cost, Save Time and Improve Service
The Social Security Administration announced today that Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation's largest healthcare providers, will electronically transmit complete medical records for its patients to the agency with the appropriate consent. Social Security requests about 70,000 patient files from Kaiser Permanente each year so this seamless new system will save time and money for both partners as well as allow Social Security to make faster and more accurate decisions.
Over the last few years, Social Security had entered into similar agreements with several smaller providers to exchange medical records electronically over the Nationwide Health Information Network. Today's agreement marks the agency's first move into using health information technology on a large-scale basis.
"I am confident that people will look back at today's announcement as the most significant improvement in our disability determination process since the program began in 1956. In today's world it makes no sense for us to chase down paper records on an individual basis," said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security. "We are thrilled that Kaiser Permanente is now one of our key agents for change."
"Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to supporting safe and secure health information exchange for members and our work with Social Security will enable our patients to obtain quicker disability decisions on their benefits," said Lisa Caplan, Kaiser Permanente's Senior Vice President and Business Information Officer. "We are delighted to be working with such an innovative agency."
More information on Social Security's use of health IT is available at www.socialsecurity.gov/hit.
Press Release
Thursday, May 24, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security Makes Great Strides in Hiring Our Nation's Heroes
Eligible Veterans Encouraged to Apply and Take Exam for Administrative Law Judge Positions
On Memorial Day, the Social Security Administration joins Americans in taking time to honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country and protecting our freedom. In addition, Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, says the agency's hiring of veterans has increased and there are employment opportunities right now for veterans with at least seven years of experience as a licensed attorney who want to work for Social Security.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently announced that 10-point preference eligible veterans interested in becoming an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and working for Social Security can take the examination now even though the test is closed to all other applicants. More information about this opportunity is available at www.fedshirevets.gov.
"Social Security is committed to employing veterans and is proud to support President Obama's Veterans Employment Initiative," said Commissioner Astrue. "We are honored to have veterans join our workforce and bring their leadership and teamwork skills to help fulfill the agency's mission."
So far this fiscal year, the agency has hired 210 veterans, including 91 disabled veterans, representing 34% of total new agency hires. Most of these veterans handle benefit claims and help reduce Social Security's backlog of disability cases. Overall, veterans represent almost 10% of Social Security's current workforce.
"Hiring more veterans is a key element in Social Security's strategy to provide high quality service in a time of reduced agency funds," said Commissioner Astrue. "I appreciate the hard work of our veterans who continue to serve this nation and improve the lives of millions of Americans."
Press Release
Monday, May 14, 2012
For Immediate Release
Jacob and Sophia Take Top Honors on Social Security's Most Popular Baby Names List
Sophia is New Number One Name for Girls
Elvis Makes a Comeback
Jacob and Sophia are America's most popular baby names for 2011. This is the thirteenth year in a row Jacob tops our list for boys and the first year for Sophia, who knocks Isabella to number two after a two-year stint at the top of our list for girls. There is only one new name in the top 10 on either list this year. Mason rocketed to number two from outside of the top ten to replace Anthony on the boys' side.
For all the top baby names of 2011, go to Social Security's website www.socialsecurity.gov. Here are the top 10 boys and girls names for 2011:
| Boys: |
Girls |
- Jacob
- Mason
- William
- Jayden
- Noah
- Michael
- Ethan
- Alexander
- Aiden
- Daniel
|
- Sophia
- Isabella
- Emma
- Olivia
- Ava
- Emily
- Abigail
- Madison
- Mia
- Chloe
|
While having fun with baby names on www.socialsecurity.gov to apply for retirement, disability, Medicare, and this year, for the first time, you can help someone obtain a benefit estimate using the online Social Security Statement.
Mason, a relatively popular name since the 1990s, had never cracked the top 25 until 2010, when it hit number 12. Some may attribute this year's rise to number two to reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian's son. We note, moreover, that Mason has been a regular top-five name in Wisconsin for many years, undoubtedly a tribute to strong-legged Green Bay Packer kicker Mason Crosby.
Many pop-culture naming trends appear in a popular feature of Social Security's baby names website--the "Change in Name Popularity" page. This year's winners for biggest jump in popularity in the Top 500 are Brantley and Briella.
The fastest riser on the girls' list may come from Briella Calafiore, the blonde reality star hairdresser from cable TV's "Jerseylicious" and its spinoff, "Glam Fairy."
For the boys, there could be some controversy over Brantley - depending on whether you are a fan of college football or country music. Arguments could be made that the popularity of the name comes from John Brantley, the quarterback for perennial powerhouse The University of Florida, or from Brantley Gilbert, the singer with the number one country hit "Country Must Be Country Wide." If you like both football and country music, you're a winner either way!
The second fastest riser on the boys' list is Iker. There may be some international influence here—Iker Casillas Fernandez is the well-known goalkeeper for both Real Madrid and the Spanish National Team.In 2010, Iker led Spain to a World Cup championship, just in time to influence the 2011 baby names list.
On the girls' side, Angelique is the second biggest climber, but she may have gotten there with some magic. Angelique is the character name of a witch from the cult favorite "Dark Shadows." She worked her witchcraft just in time for the blockbuster Hollywood remake of the 1960s TV show.
We are pleased to report there has been an Elvis sighting! Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue is happy to announce that Elvis is back where he belongs, in the top 1,000. "Last year I was all shook up when Elvis dropped way down below the top 1,000, but Elvis is back into the promised land of the top 1,000, and that's all right." Elvis has been spotted at number 904 on the list.
Social Security started compiling baby name lists in 1997, and the agency's website offers lists of baby names for each year since 1880. Social Security is America's source for most popular baby names because parents supply this information to the agency when applying for a child's Social Security number at the time of the child's birth.
Press Release
Thursday, May 10, 2012
For Immediate Release
Suspense at Social Security to Continue
Today Show Release of Most Popular Baby Names Postponed Until Monday
The Social Security Administration has delayed its increasingly popular annual announcement of most popular baby names, which traditionally has occurred the Friday before Mother's Day. The agency will postpone the release of this year's rankings until Commissioner Astrue's Monday morning appearance on NBC's Today Show.
Agency officials suggest that people use the time on Friday and over the weekend to visit www.socialsecurity.gov and check out the Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs that's available to people with limited income and resources, as well as the new online version of the Social Security Statement, a retirement planning tool which shows workers a history of their past earnings and estimates of their future benefits.
Agency officials also apologize to any expectant mothers (and nervous fathers!) who were anxiously waiting for the new list to choose a name for their child before the baby arrives.
Press Release
Monday, May 7, 2012
For Immediate Release
Statement of Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, on the Initial Success of the New Online Social Security Statement
I am pleased with the public's initial response to our new online Social Security Statement. Since our May 1 launch, more than 130,000 people have successfully created an online account to access their Statement information, with the first 100,000 coming online in less than three days.
Our new online Statement is simple and easy-to-use, and the initial satisfaction scores from users prove it. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, users are giving the online Statement a score of 89, making it competitive with our other top-rated, best-in-government online services.
The online Statement is a very useful financial planning tool. It provides estimates for retirement, disability and survivors benefits. It also provides workers a convenient way to determine whether their earnings are accurately posted to their Social Security records. This feature is important because Social Security benefits are based on average earnings over a person's lifetime. Now people as young as 18 can access their Statement for the first time, as well as find links to important information and online services.
People should get in the habit of checking their online Statement each year -- around their birthday, for example. To learn more about it, or to try it yourself, please go to www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement.
Press Release
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security Statement Now Available Online at www.socialsecurity.gov
Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced an online version of the Social Security Statement is now available at www.socialsecurity.gov. The new online Statement provides eligible workers with secure and convenient access to their Social Security earnings and benefit information.
"Our new online Social Security Statement is simple, easy-to-use and provides people with estimates they can use to plan for their retirement," Commissioner Astrue said."The online Statement also provides estimates for disability and survivors benefits, making the Statement an important financial planning tool. People should get in the habit of checking their online Statement each year, around their birthday, for example."
In addition to helping with financial planning, the online Statement also provides workers a convenient way to determine whether their earnings are accurately posted to their Social Security records. This feature is important because Social Security benefits are based on average earnings over a person's lifetime. If the earnings information is not accurate, the person may not receive all the benefits to which he or she is entitled. The online Statement also provides the opportunity to save or print the personalized Statement for financial planning discussions with family or a financial planner.
To get a personalized online Statement, people age 18 and older must be able to provide information about themselves that matches information already on file with Social Security. In addition, Social Security uses Experian, an external authentication service provider, for additional verification. People must provide their identifying information and answer security questions in order to pass this verification. Social Security will not share a person's Social Security number with Experian, but the identity check is an important part of this new, robust verification process.
Once verified, people will create a "My Social Security" account with a unique user name and password to access their online Statement. In addition, the portal also includes links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability and Medicare.
It is important to note, however, Social Security anticipates some members of the public will not be able to be verified through this process. Some people may not correctly answer the security questions based on information on file with Experian, and others may supply identifying information that does not match their Social Security records. In instances where this occurs, people will have the option to request a paper Social Security Statement be mailed to them. People who cannot verify online initially also may visit their local Social Security office and present an identity document in order to create an account and gain access to the online version of the Statement.
In February 2012, Social Security resumed mailing paper Statements to workers age 60 and older if they are not already receiving Social Security benefits. Later this year, the agency plans to mail paper Statements to workers in the year they reach age 25.
For more information about the new online Statement, please go to www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement.
Press Release
Monday, April 30, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security and Department of Defense Implement New Process to Improve Efficiency for Wounded Warriors Applying for Disability Benefits
Electronic Medical Records Will Reduce Time for a Decision
The Social Security Administration and the Department of Defense (DoD) are working together to improve access to disability benefits for the nation's Wounded Warriors, service members, veterans, and their dependents. A new nationwide project enables Social Security disability case processing sites to receive military medical records from multiple DoD facilities with a single request to a centralized DoD site. As of today, this initiative is in its first phase of nationwide expansion.
"Receiving electronic medical records for our Wounded Warriors and other military personnel will significantly shorten the time it takes to make a disability decision," said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security. "This new process will improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of the disability program."
Originally a pilot, the program included five states (Colorado, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington) and more than 60 military treatment facilities. These states are now receiving electronic medical records within 72 hours, a remarkable improvement over the previous average response time of five weeks for paper records from individual military treatment facilities.
The new DoD-Social Security collaboration consolidates requests for medical records from Social Security to a single location that has access to DoD records in a central electronic repository. This central location receives and responds to requests for medical records based on Social Security's Electronic Records Express (www.socialsecurity.gov/ere), another successful initiative that offers electronic options for submitting health records related to disability claims.
The benefits of the new process include:
- faster delivery of DoD medical records to Social Security,
- a more efficient system to obtain records,
- a reduction in the time it takes to make a medical decision on a disability claim, and
- a reduction in the number of consultative examinations (medical exams requested by Social Security when additional tests or medical records are needed.)
This is the first step towards the long-term goal of a fully automated solution of improving medical information sharing using health information technology and the Nationwide Health Information Network Exchange.
More information on Social Security's use of health IT is available at www.socialsecurity.gov/hit.
Press Release
Monday, April 23, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security Board of Trustees: Projected Trust Fund Exhaustion Three Years Sooner Than Last Year
The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its annual report on the financial health of the Social Security Trust Funds. The combined assets of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Funds will be exhausted in 2033, three years sooner than projected last year. The DI Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2016, two years earlier than last year's estimate. The Trustees also project that OASDI program costs will exceed non-interest income in 2012 and will remain higher throughout the remainder of the 75-year period.
In the 2012 Annual Report to Congress, the Trustees announced:
- The projected point at which the combined Trust Funds will be exhausted comes in 2033 - three years sooner than projected last year. At that time, there will be sufficient non-interest income coming in to pay about 75 percent of scheduled benefits.
- The projected actuarial deficit over the 75-year long-range period is 2.67 percent of taxable payroll -- 0.44 percentage point larger than in last year's report.
- Over the 75-year period, the Trust Funds would require additional revenue equivalent to $8.6 trillion in present value dollars to pay all scheduled benefits.
"This year's Trustees Report contains troubling, but not unexpected, projections about Social Security's finances. It once again emphasizes that Congress needs to act to ensure the long-term solvency of this important program, and needs to act within four years to avoid automatic cuts to people receiving disability benefits," said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security.
Other highlights of the Trustees Report include:
- Income including interest to the combined OASDI Trust Funds amounted to $805 billion in 2011. ($564 billion in net contributions, $24 billion from taxation of benefits, $114 billion in interest, and $103 billion in reimbursements from the General Fund of the Treasury—almost exclusively resulting from the 2011 payroll tax legislation.)
- Total expenditures from the combined OASDI Trust Funds amounted to $736 billion in 2011.
- Non-interest income fell below program costs in 2010 for the first time since 1983. Program costs are projected to exceed non-interest income throughout the remainder of the 75-year period.
- The assets of the combined OASDI Trust Funds increased by $69 billion in 2011 to a total of $2.7 trillion.
- During 2011, an estimated 158 million people had earnings covered by Social Security and paid payroll taxes.
- Social Security paid benefits of $725 billion in calendar year 2011. There were about 55 million beneficiaries at the end of the calendar year.
- The cost of $6.4 billion to administer the program in 2011 was a very low 0.9 percent of total expenditures.
- The combined Trust Fund assets earned interest at an effective annual rate of 4.4 percent in 2011.
The Board of Trustees is comprised of six members. Four serve by virtue of their positions with the federal government: Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury and Managing Trustee; Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security; Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services; and Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of Labor. The two public trustees are Charles P. Blahous, III and Robert D. Reischauer.
The 2012 Trustees Report will be posted at www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/TR/2012/ on Monday afternoon.
Press Release
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
For Immediate Release
Social Security Announces New Conditions for Compassionate Allowances Program
Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 52 new Compassionate Allowances conditions, primarily involving neurological disorders, cancers and rare diseases. The Compassionate Allowances 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. Commissioner Astrue made the announcement during his remarks at the World Orphan Drug Congress near Washington, D.C.
"Social Security will continue to work with the medical community and patient organizations to add more conditions," Commissioner Astrue said. "With our Compassionate Allowances program, we quickly approved disability benefits for nearly 61,000 people with severe disabilities in the past fiscal year, and nearly 173,000 applications since the program began."
The Compassionate Allowances initiative identifies claims where the nature of the applicant's disease or condition clearly meets the statutory standard for disability. With the help of sophisticated new information technology, the agency can quickly identify potential Compassionate Allowances and then quickly make decisions.
Social Security launched the Compassionate Allowances program in 2008 with a list of 50 diseases and conditions. The announcement of 52 new conditions, effective in August, will increase the total number of Compassionate Allowances conditions to 165. The conditions include certain cancers, adult brain disorders, a number of rare genetic disorders of children, early-onset Alzheimer's disease, immune system conditions, and other disorders. In his speech that opened the Congress, Commissioner Astrue thanked the National Institutes of Health for research they conducted which helped identify many of the conditions added to the list.
The agency also is improving its online disability application process, which is already substantially shorter than the standard paper application. Starting April 21, 2012, adults who file for benefits online will have the option to electronically sign and submit their Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration (Form SSA-827). This improvement allows applicants to complete disability applications in a streamlined online session, rather than printing, signing, and mailing paper authorization forms to Social Security offices.
In March, Social Security approved eight research projects through its Disability Determination Process Small Grant Program. This new program aims to improve the disability process through innovative research by graduate students focusing on topics such as the Compassionate Allowances program, Wounded Warriors initiative, homelessness and SSI, and disability enrollment issues.
For more information on the Compassionate Allowances initiative, please visit www.socialsecurity.com/compassionateallowances.
New Compassionate Allowances Conditions
- Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome
- Alobar Holoprosencephaly
- Alpers Disease
- Alpha Mannosidosis
- Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Site
- Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis
- Child Neuroblastoma
- Child Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Chondrosarcoma with multimodal therapy
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form
- Ewings Sarcoma
- Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma with metastases
- Fucosidosis - Type 1
- Galactosialidosis - Early Infantile Type
- Glioma Grade III and IV
- Hallervorden-Spatz Disease
- Hepatoblastoma
- Histiocytosis
- Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome
- Hydranencephaly
- Hypocomplementemic Urticarial Vasculitis
- Hypophosphatasia Perinatal lethal Form
- I Cell disease
- Infantile Free Sialic Acid Storage Disease
- Juvenile Onset Huntington Disease
- Kufs Disease Type A and B
- Lissencephaly
- Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis Grade III
- Malignant Brain Stem Gliomas - Childhood
- Malignant Melanoma with metastases
- Mastocytosis Type IV
- Medulloblastoma with metastasis
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma with metastases
- Myocolonic Epilepsy and Ragged Red Fibers Syndrome
- Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis
- Obliterative Bronchiolitis
- Ohtahara Syndrome
- Orthochromatic Leukodystrophy with Pigmented Glia
- Pearson Syndrome
- Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease-Classic Form
- Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease-Connatal Form
- Peripheral Nerve Cancer - metastatic or recurrent
- Perry Syndrome
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata
- Schindler Disease Type 1
- Smith Lemli Opitz Syndrome
- Spinal Nerve Root Cancer- metastatic or recurrent
- Stiff Person Syndrome
- Tabes Dorsalis
- Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome
- Xeroderma Pigmentosum
