I’m Applying For Social Security Disability Benefits And Will Face Intense Financial Hardships If It Takes More Than Four Months To Start Getting Benefits. Can I Apply For Presumptive Disability Benefits To Fill The Gap?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. The six-month presumptive disability temporary benefits program is only available to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicants who meet low-income criteria established by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

As you already know, the wait time to hear back on a Texas Social Security disability insurance claim can take many months. While presumptive disability benefits may not be an option for you, there may be ways for you to speed up the Social Security disability claims processing period.

Three Options to Consider

There are a few fast-track options available to Social Security disability applicants, but in order to qualify you must be dealing with an extremely severe diagnosis or a terminal illness to qualify. These programs include the:

Compassionate Allowances program. This is a fast track process for patients with conditions on the SSA compassionate allowances impairment listing. Qualifying applicants may receive a decision about Social Security disability in as little as 10 days.
Terminal Illness program (TERI). This is a program that expedites decisions on claims where the illness is anticipated to result in the claimant’s death.
Quick Disability Determination process. This method uses sophisticated software to determine the likelihood of an approval decision. The SSA determines which cases qualify for this type of review based on the severity of the claim. Decisions may come down in 20 days or less.

Remember that you are not alone during this challenging time. To help improve your odds of obtaining all of the Social Security benefits you qualify for without unnecessary delays or other problems, speak with an experienced disability lawyer today. Also, you can download a free copy of our book, Social Security Disability: What You Need to Know, for additional information about protecting your rights.