Social Security Administration Adds Early-Onset Alzheimer's To Compassionate Allowance Initiative
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Washington, DC February 11, 2010 – In its effort to improve and expedite the disabilitydetermination process, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that itwill add early-onset Alzheimer’s disease to its Compassionate Allowances Initiative. Theinitiative identifies debilitating diseases and medical conditions that meet the SSA’sdisability standards for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) or SupplementalSecurity Income (SSI). Inclusion in the initiative allows for faster payment of SocialSecurity benefits to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Associationapplauds Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue and the SSA for understandingthat the cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease leaves individuals unableto maintain gainful employment and deserving of an expedited disability determination.“As the leading research, advocacy, and support organization for Alzheimer’s disease,the Alzheimer’s Association has actively sought the inclusion of early-onset Alzheimer’sin the Social Security Administration’s Compassionate Allowances Initiative,” says HarryJohns, President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Now, individuals who aredealing with the enormous challenges of Alzheimer’s won’t also have to endure thefinancial and emotional toll of a long disability decision process.”Since 2003, the Alzheimer’s Association has been advocating on behalf of individualswith early-onset Alzheimer’s as they navigate the Social Security disabilitydeterminations process and welcomes the SSA’s decision. Until now, individuals withearly-onset Alzheimer’s disease have faced a myriad of challenges when applying forSSDI or SSI, including a long decision process, initial denials, and multiple appeals.Today’s decision will simplify and streamline the SSDI/SSI application process anddecrease the wait time for benefits, which for some has lasted as long as three years.There are currently an estimated 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease.Although the majority of Alzheimer cases are individuals age 65 and older, a significantnumber of people under age 65 are also affected by this fatal disease and have fewfinancial options other than the Social Security disability program.In addition to Alzheimer’s disease, mixed-dementia and Primary Progressive Aphasiawere also added to the Compassionate Allowances Initiative under the SSA’s recentdecision. To determine which diseases and conditions to include, SSA has held severalpublic outreach hearings throughout the country that have included testimony frommedical and scientific experts, as well as those directly affected by these diseases andconditions. The July 2009 Compassionate Allowance Hearing on Early-OnsetAlzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias, held in Chicago, included testimony fromJohns, several of the nation’s top Alzheimer researchers, and caregivers and individualswith early-onset Alzheimer’s who discussed the challenges they faced during thedisability application process. During the day-long hearing, SSA officials heard about theterminal nature of Alzheimer’s, the disabilities that often prohibit work in even the earlieststages of the disease, and the lack of effective treatments to modify or halt theprogression of Alzheimer’s.In addition to participation in the hearing, as many as 600 people with Alzheimer’s andother dementias and their caregivers responded to the Association’s request to submitwritten comments to SSA about their experiences applying for disability benefits. Asample of these comments are posted on SSA’s Compassionate Allowances website:http://www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/statements.htmThe Social Security Administration’s proactive efforts to “fast track” certain conditions willhelp to reduce the backlog of disability claims and, more importantly, ensure thoseclaims that fall under this initiative will be decided within days instead of months oryears.“The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s indicates significant enough cognitive impairment tointerfere with daily living activities, including the ability to work. This decision will help asignificant number of Alzheimer families. It will also help the Social SecurityAdministration, since long delays and appeals in the disability determination process arecostly for the agency,” says Johns. “The Alzheimer’s Association praises SSA for thisdecision and remains committed to continue to work with Commissioner Astrue and hiscolleagues at the Social Security Administration in support of its implementationnationwide.”Alzheimer’s AssociationThe Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care,support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancementof research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk ofdementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. Formore information, visit www.alz.org.
