Social Security Disability Benefits May Come Faster for Some
The process for proving a disability and receiving Social Security Disability benefits can take a lot of paperwork and weeks or months to process. To help remedy this, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced progress with rules passed in 2008. These rules, and updated technology, created the Quick Disability Determination (QDD) process, which makes "compassionate allowances" to help adults with certain severe impairments to move through the disability benefits process and gain approval more quickly and easily.
QDD Process
According to SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue, the recession increased the number of Social Security Disability cases this year by over 650,000. As a result, the SSA is working harder to become more efficient. The QDD process, which uses a "predictive computer model" to analyze an electronic disability claim, will help to streamline disability benefits approvals for applicants who are "obviously severely disabled." This cuts processing time from weeks to days for these applicants and allows physicians to focus on complex cases.
Compassionate Allowances
The traditional Social Security Disability (SSD) process requires a medical review in every case, and many of these result in claim denials that can possibly be reversed at the reconsideration level with the help of a lawyer. The QDD process, however, lists specific diseases or medical conditions that render a person disabled or unable to work. Some of these impairments include specific types of severe or inoperable cancers, brain tumors and early-onset Alzheimer's disease or dementia, many of which could result in death. Commissioner Astrue continues to hold hearings on other diseases and conditions, which may end up on the official list of compassionate allowances.
Overall Impact
The purpose of the 2008 rules and the QDD format was to make the SSD process more humane and hassle-free for people suffering from debilitating illnesses. These changes may also have an overall impact for all disabled Americans, ultimately providing a framework that makes the SSA more efficient and able to help those workers who are most in need. And for today's common critics of SSD benefits, who claim that they're a sort of welfare entitlement, QDD will not make it any easier to get benefits because doctors must still be consulted as needed.
Win-Win
Commissioner Astrue believes the new process will be a win-win scenario for the severely disabled and for all American people. However, applying for and receiving SSD benefits can still be a daunting and confusing process for newly disabled workers and their families.
If you or your loved one was recently injured or diagnosed with a severe medical condition, you deserve help. Contact a New York SSD attorney at Schwartzapfel Partners P.C. Our team is experienced in these matters and can provide legal advice or representation as soon as possible to ensure the best possible outcome. Call us now at 888-801-1914 to schedule your free claim evaluation and learn how we can help you get the benefits you need and deserve.
