Social Security adds fast-track conditions
Q:Bill Bailey was 57 when he started making mistakes at his job as a pharmaceutical research chemist. He was laid off. He tried to work again at another company, but he couldn't do the job.
"I realized something was wrong," said Bailey, 60, who lives in Bon Air with his wife, Kitty Kennedy.
At 58, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. His age made it early-onset or younger-onset Alzheimer's. The family began the process of applying for Social Security disability benefits.
"We waited 14 months for a decision," Kennedy said. She worked, but it was a significant drop to no longer have her husband's income, too.
As they waited, Bailey became an advocate. He was appointed to the early-onset advisory group of the national Alzheimer's Association.
While he was attending a national Alzheimer's meeting in Chicago, he made a side trip. A Social Security Administration panel was in town and taking testimony on the list of diseases classified as "compassionate allowance" conditions. Such conditions are fast-tracked for approval for Social Security benefits. It means people can be approved for benefits in days rather than months or years.
"There was one other couple and a former professor, who had prepared remarks," said Kennedy, who was with her husband. "When they opened up the floor, Bill stood up and spoke."
Two weeks later, he got a letter saying he was approved for benefits. This month, the Social Security Administration added early-onset Alzheimer's and 37 other conditions to the list of conditions that meet the compassionate allowance criteria.
The list previously had 50 conditions -- 25 rare diseases and 25 cancers. The change adding 38 conditions is effective March 1.
"The Alzheimer's Association has been lobbying for this change for years," said Paul Miller, local spokesman for the association.
To see a full list of the compassionate allowance diseases and conditions, go to the Your Health blog.
"It's really a huge thing," Kennedy said. "There are a lot of people being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and they don't know what to do."
Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or TLsmith@timesdispatch.com.
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