04/14/2010   Early-onset Alzheimer's patients have expedited access to Social Security benefits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) now recognizes early-onset Alzheimer’s as a compassionate allowance condition, giving sufferers access to benefits before age 65. The SSA began electronically identifying these new conditions as of March 1, 2010. It’s estimated 200,000 people in the United States under the age of 65 are afflicted prematurely with the disease.

Previously, Alzheimer’s patients younger than 65 were denied Social Security medical benefits since the SSA did not consider Alzheimer's disease a disability. The Alzheimer’s Association states that the disease is the seventh-leading cause of death in the country and the fifth-leading cause of death for those over age 65. In July 2009, the SSA held a hearing on the issue of approving benefits for people suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's.

As a result, the SSA announced that they have added early-onset/younger-onset Alzheimer's to the list of conditions under its Compassionate Allowance Initiative.

Those now diagnosed with the disease have expedited access to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Read the SSA’s press release for more information.

For the full list of compassionate allowances, visit the Compassionate Allowances list.

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