Alzheimer’s disease represents one of the most ideal medical conditions that define eligibility for enrollment in the Compassionate Allowance program managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The often crippling loss of mental functioning can qualify an applicant for disability benefits if Alzheimer’s has reached the advanced stages of development.
Alzheimer’s patients can go through up to seven stages, with the last two stages representing the stages that can qualify a disability applicant for automatic approval.
How to Automatically Qualify for Disability Benefits
Disability applicants face two daunting challenges when filing a claim for Social Security disability benefits. The process it takes for the SSA to reach a decision can take several months, even more than one year before you hear back from the federal government agency.
Second, the decision you receive might not be favorable. The SSA denies a majority of disability claims, including those that appear to be slam dunks for approval.
For example, a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease has reached one of the two most advanced stages. However, the loved one did not submit enough convincing medical evidence for the SSA to approve a disability claim.
If you qualify for the Compassionate Allowance program that is managed by the SSA, you receive financial assistance much quicker than if you filed a disability claim the standard way.
However, you must demonstrate the serious symptoms of Alzheimer’s that developed during stages six and seven. You should submit the results of brain imaging tests to present the evidence you need to receive fast-track approval for a disability claim.
The SSA also wants a detailed description of the treatment programs your physician has put you through to mitigate the symptoms of advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
Does Alzheimer’s Disease Automatically Qualify for Disability Benefits?
Patients that have received a diagnosis for an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s can receive disability benefits faster by enrolling in the Compassionate Allowance program.
Your primary healthcare provider must submit your medical records and the specialist treating you for progressive dementia must describe how you respond to different types of mental stimulation.
The most important factor that determines the fast-track approval of an Alzheimer’s disability claim is to meet the symptoms listed in the SSA medical guide called the Blue Book.
The most common listing in the Blue Book that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease is under Section 12.02, which covers neurocognitive disorders.
To meet the listing for Alzheimer’s in the Blue Book, you must demonstrate the disease has caused a significant decline in your mental state.
The Blue Book requires you to prove Alzheimer’s has severely impacted your ability to learn new concepts and remember where you placed items such as car keys.
You also can get approved for the Compassionate Allowance program if you show a substantial decline in the ability to plan and make well-thought-out decisions.
If your language skills have sharply deteriorated, you might qualify for the fast-track approval of a disability claim as well. The Blue Book also lists poor physical coordination as a factor that can get you accepted into the Compassionate Allowance program.
Get a Free Case Evaluation Today
Living with advanced-stage Alzheimer’s symptoms has made a negative impact on the quality of your life. You can no longer work, which means you do not have the income to cover the costs of medical tests and procedures.
To receive the financial assistance you deserve, you should work with a Social Security disability attorney who helps you file a persuasive application to get you enrolled in the Compassionate Allowance program.
