The Social Security Administration (SSA) has established different claim processing procedures for claimant’s who are acutely ill. The average claimant is required to wait several months for a decision, while a claimant whom the SSA believes would likely be found disabled may be able to request that the SSA expedite the processing of their claim based on the severity of their illnesses, injuries or conditions.
If the claimant’s illness is terminal or they suffer from one the conditions listed on the SSA’s Compassionate Allowance list, their claim should be processed within a matter of weeks. The SSA office handling the claim will flag the application or appeal for faster processing by the Disability Determination Services office which is responsible for making the medical determination. For a claimant who is waiting for a hearing, the hearing’s office will designate the claim as a critical case.
A claimant who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness will be given TERI processing. A claimant who has been diagnosed with a condition on the Compassionate Allowance list will be given CAL processing. To view the current conditions that meet the compassionate allowance designation please click here. These designations are applicable to both Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) claims and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims.
If a claimant has filed an application for SSI and is acutely ill they may be eligible for Presumptive Disability or Presumptive Blindness payments. The payments will be paid to claimant who suffers from a condition or conditions that meet the specific criteria. These benefits will paid for up to six months while the claimant waits for his or her decision. To view the conditions that meet the presumptive disability designation please click here.
The SSA may also give special claim processing to a claimant who is suicidal or homicidal.
For more information on the processing of these types of claims, please view the SSA’s article “Special procedures for the severely disabled”
