ALS Association Helps to Fast Track Disability Claims Social Security Administration Implements Compassionate Allowances

The ALS Association secured another victory in Washington, DC this week as the Social Security Administration (SSA) implemented a new initiative designed to speed disability applications for people with ALS and other serious conditions.

Under the new initiative, called Compassionate Allowances, SSA has included ALS on a list of conditions that automatically qualify for expedited reviews. When fully implemented, SSA estimates the initiative will shorten review times to an average of just six to eight days.

The ALS Association has strongly supported this initiative since it was first proposed in July 2007 and The Association testified in support of Compassionate Allowances during a hearing convened by SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue in December, 2007. (Our testimony is available on the Social Security website, here: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/TheALSAssociation(Steve%20Gibson)12-4-07.pdf.)

ALS Advocacy Improves Patient Services
The implementation of Compassionate Allowances is the latest example of how The ALS Association’s advocacy efforts have improved patient services, helping people with ALS access disability and Medicare benefits worth millions of dollars each year. Through our previous efforts, SSA established a presumptive disability ruling and included ALS on the Listing of Impairments, both of which have streamlined disability applications and enabled people with ALS to access disability benefits months or even years sooner than before. Our advocacy also led to the elimination of the 24-month Medicare waiting period for ALS, the only time this law has ever been amended.

Join our Fight
Successes like this new initiative, the enactment of the ALS Registry Act, new rules for veterans’ benefits and funding for ALS research could not have been achieved without the support of advocates across the country. So please encourage everyone you know to join our fight by becoming an ALS Advocate here:http://capwiz.com/alsa/mlm/verify/.

If you have any questions about this Update, please contact the Advocacy Department at advocacy@alsa-national.org or toll-free at 1-877-444-ALSA.