The Social Security system is one of the largest bureaucracies in New Jersey and the rest of the United States. Decisions that it makes often take time and effort from processors and medical professionals. In some instances, this time is unnecessary and can be harmful to individuals who require immediate aid. Compassionate allowances are designed to help the most vulnerable and severely afflicted applicants bypass certain rules and regulations to quickly receive the care and support they need.
Compassionate Allowances
The idea of compassionate allowances is connected to the usual Social Security Disability Insurance system. In most instances, disability claims are processed in an established way provided by federal law and the rules and regulations of the Social Security Administration. The idea is that the state has an incentive to ensure that a person is truly eligible for disability and that this incentive trumps their need to receive disability payments as soon as possible.
But, for some medical conditions, such as cancers and severe disabilities in children, the wait time is unnecessary and potentially life-threatening. The nature of the condition means that a person is either terminally ill or does not have any hope of being able to work or find some other mitigation, outside of payments. Compassionate allowances provide for an alternative track. They are based on a list of severe medical conditions provided to the federal government by health professionals and then reviewed for inclusion. If someone applies for disability with one of these maladies, there is a chance that they will receive their benefits months sooner than individuals working through the usual disability system.
Importance
Compassionate allowances are enormously important for serious medical conditions. Many of these conditions require sufferers to receive immediate, long-term care to survive. They simply cannot wait to have a disability claim processed. Compassionate allowances push these individuals to the front of the disability processing system and ensure that they start receiving payments as fast as possible. These people can then focus all of their time and energy on living their lives or recovering from their condition.
