Social Security Insider - Latest Comments in More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

21st Birthday Ideas — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:34:14 -0000

I had never heard of this before. Don't stop posting.

James

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

TomaszStasiuk — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:59:21 -0000

Thanks for writing. I read all the comments on the site.

Personally, I would be concerned that SSA is not treating a case like this as a possible compassionate allowance (CAL) case.

By now, the case should have moved out of the District Office (the local SSA office) to Disability Determination Services (DDS). The local office can provide the number for the DDS office that a case at this stage has been assigned to. New people work on a case at DDS, and this on its own, often removes many interpersonal conflicts. I would call DDS and see who the case has been assigned to and inquire if the case is being considered as a possible CAL case.

If not, or if I felt I was being brushed off, I might encourage my client to get their congress-critter involved. I have a post on resolving issues at SSA including that nuclear option here: http://www.socialsecurityin...

Good luck! And give some consideration to working with a lawyer in your area.

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

Tkaz9999 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:42:53 -0000

I know this article is old but I'm hoping it's still being watched by author. I have recently applied on my husband's behalf for benefits and due to his condition, Glioblastoma this case should be a CAL case and fast-tracked. We applied online and went into our local office with ALL the pertinent info from the hospital on his brain surgery and pathology reports. When I told the clerk it would be a CAL case she looked at me and said, "Do you work for the department? How do you know that?" I told her I read about it online on SS website, and his condition is listed as one of them. She seemed stunned, it was kind of humorous. Three weeks old now, and no calls for an appointment or any decision so far....

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

TomaszStasiuk — Mon, 24 May 2010 00:42:21 -0000

Thanks for the comment! I am adding your link to make it easier for others to go to the source on this: http:/policy.ssa.gov/poms.n...

There is also a lot more information about the Compassionate Allowance program in the Social Security regulations: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps...

Or, just click http://bit.ly/coY3pm

Lots of good stuff here like:
- Compassionate Allowance (CAL) and Quick Disability Determination (QDD): Similarities and Differences
- Identifying and Receipting Quick Disability Determination (QDD) and Compassionate Allowance (CAL) Cases

However, these are *internal* regulations -- which means they are very dry and contain a lot of terms and acronyms geared for Social Security employees.

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

pdxpj — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:24:20 -0000

A. Definition of a QDD case
A QDD case is an initial Electronic Disability Collect System (EDCS) case identified electronically by a Predictive Model (PM) as having a high degree of probability that:

the claimant is disabled;

evidence of the claimant’s allegations is expected to be easily and quickly verified; and

the case can be processed quickly by the disability determination services (DDS).

B. Process of QDD
The QDD process goes beyond Terminal Illness (TERI) and Presumptive Disability/Blindness (PD/PB) criteria to identify applicants with clearly disabling conditions whose medical evidence is readily available. With such applicants, a fully-favorable determination should be made quickly after receipt in the DDS (recommended timeframe is 20 days or less). A predictive model (PM) is used to identify QDD cases. A unique threshold selection, using scoring criteria, is set by the PM for each DDS which means that similar cases may or may not be identified as QDD cases depending on the DDS processing the case.

QDD cases are:

Identified electronically at clearance from the FO by EDCS and upon receipt by the DDS's automated case processing system;

Assigned to designated disability examiners who have the knowledge, training, and experience to effectively carry out the QDD process;

Processed as expedited cases; and

Able to be designated simultaneously as a TERI, PD/PB and/or a Compassionate Allowance (CAL) claim to ensure continued priority handling if the case is removed from the QDD process.

Like TERI and PD/PB cases; full non-medical development must be initiated in the FO for a QDD case.

pdxpj says: I found this before looking at your site. Is this what dgbehart is talking about? I need this 20 day process too, for my breadwinner husband who has an end stage, rapidly progressing cancer. Wish you were in Portland, OR.....I could use your help!

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

TomaszStasiuk — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:20:06 -0000

Can you provide a link to the published information you mention?

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

debgehart — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:53:56 -0000

Published Information says the Compassionate Allowance procedure should take days not months. It also says the examiner should call doctors not wait for reports by mail. It also says a Regional Management Officer (RMO) should be assigned to each case and monitor it to make sure the CAL procedures are being followed.
My Compassionate Allowance case has been 3 months with no decision in site. When I call the examiner she does not know anything about the items I listed above. Who can we contact to make sure the CAL process is even being used.

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

TomaszStasiuk — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:55:43 -0000

For more information about the Compassionate Allowance program, just click the two links in the article (copied below). The first one goes to the original article discussing Compassionate Allowances and what they are. The second link goes to the SSA site on Compassionate Allowances.

http://www.socialsecurityin...

http://ssa.gov/pressoffice/...

These links should answer your question on what Compassionate Allowances are and the eligibility requirements. If not, post a comment with what you would like to know.

Re: More news about the Compassionate Allowance program

GK HARROVER — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:34:31 -0000

CAN YOU PLEASE KEEP A SHORT PARAGRAPH ONSITE , AS SIDEBAR PERHAPS, RE DEFINING WHAT COMPASSIONATE ALLOWANCE PRGRM IS............AND ELEIGIBILITY REQUIRIEMENTS?