3 Programs That Can Expedite The Social Security Disability Approval Process

An application for Social Security disability can take several months or longer to be reviewed and approved or denied. During that time, you could be without income while the Social Security Administration (SSA) is making a decision on your case. There are some ways that you can possibly speed up the processing of your application though.

TERI Program

The SSA has a special program that allows people with terminal illness to undergo an expedited approval process. The Terminal Illness Program (TERI) has requirements that must be met to be eligible for expedited processing.

Your illness must be expected to result in death. For instance, you must have a condition such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome to qualify. Other conditions that can possibly qualify include cancer that has metastasized, a heart disease that requires a heart transplant, or dependency on a life-sustaining device.

When you submit your application for benefits, it is imperative that you inform the caseworker that your illness is terminal to draw attention to it. This helps to ensure that your application is processed quickly from beginning.

Quick Disability Determination

Another method that could possibly get your application moved up quickly through the process is Quick Disability Determination (QDD). Normally, when you submit an application for benefits, it goes through several steps, including evaluation by a medical consultant. In the QDD process, your application bypasses most of the steps including the consultant evaluation.

Whether or not you are selected for QDD is totally on the SSA. When your application is received, it is analyzed for certain factors, and if there is a high probability that you would meet the requirements to be approved, you move to the next step.

A disability claims examiner then reviews the application and makes a determination on your case. It could take as little as 20 days to have your application approved.

Compassionate Allowances List

The Compassionate Allowances List (CAL) is an expedited process which allows people who have certain conditions to qualify for benefits. The CAL contains conditions such as Marshall-Smith syndrome, Canavan disease, and child neuroblastoma. 

If you apply and have one of the conditions listed, inform the SSA so that you can be moved quickly through the process. The updated list of conditions is available on the SSA's website.

A Social Security disability attorney like Freeman & Freeman can help you find other ways to get your application expeditiously processed. Confer with one before you submit your application to improve the likelihood that you are approved.


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