Under certain medical conditions, an individual is eligible for obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) at a faster rate. In New York, it’s possible to fast-track an SSDI application from several months to a few days if you qualify.

The qualification process

Processing your application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can take as long as six months until you see your first payment. To expedite the process, an applicant qualifies by having one or more of the 254 illnesses listed under the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program.

The types of illnesses

The illness must result in a permanent disability that prevents stable employment or will result in death. Several conditions include cancers, brain disorders, Lou Gehrig’s disease and a number of rare childhood diseases. Applicants with the most serious illnesses are able to receive results in two to three weeks instead of several months or years. This fast-track program also helps to reduce the busy workload of an SSA agency that handles thousands of SSDI claims each year.

Applying for an expedited review is not necessary because Social Security clerks use software to identify qualifying individuals from the CAL list. Your ability to receive a fast-tracked decision is based on the severity of your qualifying illness.

How the agency handles your SSDI claim

The act of filing for Social Security Disability is often filled with anxiety and serious concern. As an applicant, you often worry if you’ll be approved or denied while having to wait half a year for a simple response. The Social Security Administration sets the rules and timelines for how an SSDI application is processed. However, they provide some leniency to certain applicants who qualify.