Being diagnosed with a rare condition like mesothelioma can be stressful. Several treatments
are available to extend your life expectancy. However, the truth is that life will never be the
same again. Fortunately, the federal government introduced the Social Security
Administration’s Compassionate Allowances program to provide financial relief for those
unable to work due to serious conditions. Below is a walkthrough of how the program works.
Why Mesothelioma qualifies for compassionate allowance
Compassionate allowance is an initiative for conditions that meet the qualification
requirements for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. These include
mesothelioma, which is explicitly listed in multiple forms like pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial
mesothelioma. However, that is as long as you have paid enough into the system for years.
Applicants for SSDI often wait for months before being approved. But the CAL program quickly
identifies and approves benefits for conditions that make patients unable to work again. You
don’t have to submit a separate CAL application. Instead, the Social Security Administration
flags eligible claims internally from the SSA’s medical listings (the Blue Book).
Because these diagnoses almost always meet the qualification criteria, CAL allows the claims to
move quickly through medical decision-making within weeks. However, the program does not
change the non-medical eligibility rules, like work credits and resource limits for SSI. The clinical
framework and typical evidence used in decision-making make CAL designation straightforward
for mesothelioma.
How to apply for benefits
Pursuing SSDI benefits under the Compassionate Allowance is as straightforward as filing for
mesothelioma lawsuits. But this does not mean being found with the condition will guarantee
automatic approval. You will need to provide as much medical evidence as possible to qualify
for the benefits. These include pathology or cytology reports, operative notes, imaging, and
hospital discharge summaries.
These documents allow the Disability Determination Services (DDS) to verify the allowance
immediately. You should also carefully complete the core application forms, which are standard
in adult disability claims. These include SSA-16 for Disability Insurance Benefits, SSA-3368 for
Adult Disability report, and SSA-827 for authorization to Disclose Information.
During the application process, you can ask about Presumptive Disability (PD). This is where SSI
can begin temporary payments for up to six months as you wait for the DDS to make the final
decision. However, the payments are made based on the severity of your condition and the
evidence provided.
What benefits can you receive?
Depending on eligibility, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI),
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or both. However, you must be a worker insured under
Social Security with enough work credits for your age for SSDI. That is generally 20 credits in the
last 10 years if you are over 31 years old, and lower requirements if you are younger.
The amount you receive depends on your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings and Primary
Insurance Amount. The amount is also calculated using up to 35 of your working years, with a
maximum payment of $3,822 a month. A family can get 85-150% of the disabled worker’s SSDI
benefit.
Supplemental Security Income is available for people with limited income or resources. The
resource limit is currently at $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples. The maximum
federal benefits for SSI are $967 per month for individuals and $1,450 per month for couples.
Payments can begin the first month after you file and meet all factors. You may qualify for
Medicaid, which may help with Medicare premiums later.
End note
Mesothelioma is one of the clearest fits for Social Security Compassionate Allowances. This
means your claim can be fast-tracked once SSA has the right medical proof. However, to
increase your chances of receiving the benefits, always file promptly for SSDI and provide
sufficient and accurate medical details.
Main image by: Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
