SSA Compassionate Allowance Initiative: Improvements Needed To Make Expedited Processing Of Disability Claims More Consistent & Accurate

The report was released in September 2017 by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The review focused on the Social Security Administration (SSA) Compassionate Allowance initiative (CAL), established in 2008 to create a fast track for disability determinations for people diagnosed with specific medical conditions. The GAO found that SSA does not have a systematic approach to designating conditions for CAL; rather, it relies on advocates for individuals with certain diseases and disorders to bring conditions to its attention. The GAO said that by relying on advocates, SSA may overlook disabling conditions for individuals who have no advocates, potentially resulting in . . .