The Office of the Inspector General and the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently released an audit report about the agency’s Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program.
Currently, about 200,000 Americans have received benefits through the CAL program, in which people with life-threatening illnesses can apply for expedited Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Generally, people who apply through the program are able to get benefit decisions in as little as 20 days.
The audit showed that of the 275 sample CAL cases audited, 93 percent of applicants were granted SSDI or SSI at the initial level. The audit also showed the top 10 most commonly-diagnosed associated with CAL cases, along with the percent that the particular disability made up of CAL claims. These included:
- Lung cancer (19.1 percent)
- Breast cancer (10.2 percent)
- Pancreatic cancer (9.8 percent)
- Colon cancer (8.6 percent)
- Liver cancer (7.8 percent)
- Leukemia (5.5 percent)
- Esophageal cancer (5.1 percent)
- Brain cancer (3.5 percent)
- Kidney cancer (3.5 percent)
- Anterior Horn Cell Disease, including ALS (3.1 percent)
In one instance, the audit reported that a woman who filed for SSDI benefits in 2009 due to lung cancer and was granted benefits the following day, received her first check six days later. We have included a link to the audit report below.
Do I Qualify for Disability Benefits?
The SSA requires SSDI applicants to show that they cannot do work because of their medical conditions. In order to obtain benefits, a person may be required to schedule a consultative examination with a doctor.
If you think you are eligible for SSDI benefits, we suggest contacting a Tulsa Social Security disability attorney. We offer free evaluations of your case, and you may reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability attorneys
Source: http://oig.ssa.gov/sites/default/files/audit/full/pdf/A-01-10-21080_0.pdf
