If you qualify for disability benefits, you better stay informed about the new requirements that candidates will need to meet so they can be eligible for these monthly payments. As part of an effort to expedite disability claims, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced Monday that it is adding more requirements that may be part of its compassionate allowance program.
The Social Security Administration announced on Monday that two of the initial designations would now have changed, and there would be nine new conditions for compassionate allowances.
New requirements for applying for Social Security disability benefits in the US
The new strategy addresses the following conditions: Neonatal Marfan Syndrome, PACS1 Syndrome, Renal Medullary Carcinoma, Bainbridge-Ropers Syndrome, Costello Syndrome, Adult Heart Transplant Wait List – Status Levels 1-4, Child Heart Transplant Wait List – Status Levels 1A/1B (revised existing condition), Histiocytic Malignancies, and Histiocytosis Syndromes (revised existing condition).
According to a statement from the Department, the Compassionate Allowances program quickly identifies cases where the applicant’s illness or medical condition sufficiently meets Social Security’s statutory criterion for disability. Because of the serious nature of many of these conditions, these claims are often approved based on medical evidence alone. This streamlined, policy-compliant disability process, which now covers more than 280 conditions, has so far approved more than one million people with severe disabilities.
The SSA is using technology tools to ensure accuracy and improve productivity
The goal of the action, as SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley explained, is to speed up the application process for disability benefits. The commissioner remarked in the statement, “I am firmly determined to reduce the amount of time people wait to receive a decision on their disability claim, and we are making progress.
Compassionate allowances expedite the disability application process for those whose medical conditions are likely to qualify them for disability benefits, thereby aiding in this endeavor.”. In addition, government statistics show that, as of July, 7.2 million Americans were receiving disability benefits from the SSA. With an average monthly payout of about $1,500, the total disability benefits per month amounted to $11 million.
Furthermore, the Social Security Administration noted that it reviews applicants’ medical records to verify the legitimacy of disability claims. According to the organization, technology tools are used to ensure the accuracy of claims. SSA is using advanced technology to quickly identify potential CAL conditions and is leveraging health IT to streamline the disability determination process. Therefore, Social Security may now receive, review, and decide on a claimant’s medical information more swiftly than ever before thanks to the transfer of electronic records.
By accepting qualifying conditions based on medical documentation, SSA can expedite CAL applications, especially for those unable to work because of an urgent need for financial assistance. Until now, over one million people have already benefited from this expedited process, and the CAL program currently covers a total of 287 conditions. SSA’s decision to extend the program is a testament to the agency’s continued commitment to helping those who are most in need as quickly as possible.
Do recipients of disability benefits need to pay taxes?
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), SSI beneficiaries are not required to pay taxes, as they are paid by the federal government, unlike Social Security benefits like retirement, survivor, and disability benefits, which are taxable up to a certain amount. If SSI recipients do not have any other significant income, most would not be required to pay taxes.
However, the Social Security Administration states that up to 85% of retirement or SSDI benefits may be subject to tax if each beneficiary files a separate federal tax return and their combined income exceeds the $25,000 threshold. If a beneficiary files jointly and their combined income exceeds $32,000, they may have to pay taxes on up to 85% of their benefit. Married couples who do not file jointly may face additional taxes if they file separately after marriage.
