Patients with certain blood cancers eligible for Quick Disability Determination

Seal of the United States Social Security Administration*

Patients diagnosed with certain blood cancers are now eligible for the Social Security Quick Disability Determination process, ensuring a decision on their cases within just six to eight days. The Compassionate Allowance Initiative currently lists 25 rare diseases and 25 cancers, representing some of the most severe known medical conditions.

The initiative was created in response to the devastating delays that applicants with rare diseases have experienced in the past. As those making disability determinations are not always familiar with rare diseases, these applicants have often been denied and forced to endure lengthy and costly appeals in the past in order to gain assistance. The Compassionate Allowance Initiative allows the Social Security Administration to quickly target the most obviously disabled individuals based on objective medical information they can quickly obtain.

Included on the Compassionate Allowance Conditions List, are three very serious blood cancers:

1. Mantle Cell Lymphoma - a rare form of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system and is the most common blood cancer.) Mantle Cell Lymphoma constitutes only about 6% of all Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma cases in the U.S. and is most common in men over the age of 60. It is often diagnosed as a stage IV disease and can be difficult to treat and has a high rate of relapse. Historically, the prognosis for this cancer has only been 3-5 years, but with new research initiatives, the outlook for patients is beginning to improve.
2. Acute Leukemia - a rapidly progressive cancer that causes an accumulation of immature, non-functioning cells in the marrow and blood, often leaving the marrow unable to produce enough normal cells. Most cases occur in older males. It is possible to cure this type of cancer.
3. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (in blast phase) - a rare type of leukemia that usually affects older adults. Though it typically progresses more slowly than acute leukemias, when in blast phase it behaves like an acute leukemia, producing higher blood counts and more severe symptoms. Most patients in this phase of the disease cannot be cured, and doctors often recommend palliative treatment to relieve symptoms.

The Social Security Administration admits that this preliminary list is just a start and may expand over time to include even more of the 6,000 to 7,000 known rare diseases which could qualify for this initiative.

The Social Security website states that they "pay benefits to people who cannot work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Federal law requires this very strict definition of disability. While some programs give money to people with partial disability or short-term disability, Social Security does not."

For more info: Benefits for People with Disabilities, Mantle Cell Lymphoma Patients Will Benefit from Streamlined Disability Determination Process

*public domain image - Wikimedia Commons