Every day, people in Tennessee fight cancer and win. However, it is an illness that affects individuals everywhere, whether they are currently fighting it, have survived it or have a loved one with cancer. In fact, cancer is a disease that, in 2016, will strike over one million people worldwide.
Therefore, June 5 marked National Cancer Survivors Day in the United States. The Social Security Administration supports the recognition given to cancer survivors on this day, and encourages individuals to see their physicians regularly in order to detect the disease in its early stages. The SSA also supports educational programs that raise awareness of the disease.
If they meet all of the necessary requirements, those fighting cancer may be eligible to seek Social Security disability benefits. The SSA also has a Compassionate Allowances program that may help those fighting cancer. Compassionate Allowances are given to those with illnesses that are so clearly severe that they likely meet the standards necessary to receive SSD benefits, allowing the SSA to expedite these claims. SSD applicants do not need to fill out any special paperwork to be considered for a Compassionate Allowance. If the illness is one that is recognized as a Compassionate Allowance condition, the applicant’s claim will be processed as such. Many types of cancers are listed as a Compassionate Allowance condition, and the list continues to grow as more diseases are researched.
In the end, those fighting cancer, or cancer survivors who are left with severe medical conditions that prevent them from working, should not be left without a financial lifeline. The Social Security disability program is one financial resource that may be available to these individuals if they meet all the necessary requirements.
Source: AL.com, “Social Security supports National Cancer Survivors Day,” May 31, 2016