People who are applying for Social Security Disability benefits in Maryland or anywhere across the U.S. could be waiting for a long period of time. Surprisingly, it could take up to a year or longer for applicants to hear whether they have been approved for benefits. The process may take even longer if applicants are denied benefits and have to appeal the SSA’s decision. This requires more paperwork, processing and an appeals hearing before a Social Security judge. During this time, people suffering with disabilities are often left without a paycheck, sick, unable to work and struggling to make ends meet.
According to the Washington Post, the Social Security Administration has nearly one million cases that are in line for processing. In fact, the SSA has become so backlogged that people have passed away from their ailments while waiting for their approval for SSDI benefits. These are people who may have had longer lives had they received SSDI benefits, which may have enabled them to receive the medical attention they needed.
In an attempt to streamline this extremely large backlog of SSDI cases, the SSA has created programs, such as the Compassionate Allowances Program. People who are eligible to apply for the program must have a disability or condition that is included on the list of approved conditions. The Compassionate Allowances list is comprised of unarguably chronic conditions, such as certain types of cancer, dementias and other rare syndromes. Applicants in the program may be able to bypass certain components of the application process, allowing them to receive their benefits in a timelier manner.
