According to the Social Security website, the agency is participating in American Heart Month and educating those who file for monthly disability benefits due to cardiovascular disease.
Social Security held a public Compassionate Allowances hearing on cardiovascular disease. Michael Astrue, Social Security Commissioner and leading experts met to discuss cardiovascular disease and possible methods to identify disability cases and expedite claims for both adults and children.
The Compassionate Allowances is an initiative to speed up the disability evaluation and approval process for those with debilitating and serious conditions, such as heart problems.
Astrue stated that this fiscal year about 150,000 disabled individuals will benefits from a faster disability benefit process. The Commissioner hopes hearings such as this will allow broader categories of disability conditions, which will help determine disability qualifications at a faster pace.
Currently, 88 specific diseases and conditions qualify as Compassionate Allowances. Individuals disabled due to those conditions are categorized in a group that receives disability benefits sooner.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a common cause of disability.
