Nuts and Bolts of Care

Benefits CheckUp

https://www.benefitscheckup.org/
This site Identifies organizations and programs to help pay for prescription drugs, food and health care.  Caring for a special needs child often makes it difficult for one or both parents to work outside the home.  This source can direct you to available help in your community.

Make A Wish

http://wish.org/
Make A Wish grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition throughout the United States and territories.  Families are given the opportunity to make lasting memories together.

Social Security Administration

http://www.ssa.gov/

Read more about applying for SSI benefits by blogger Molly Clarke:

Social Security Disability Benefits for Children with Batten Disease

Batten disease is a progressive illness that affects the nervous system. Symptoms of Batten disease typically appear slowly and worsen over time. These symptoms include vision impairment, seizures, behavior changes, difficulty learning, and clumsiness.  As the disease progresses, children will need increased levels of support.

As a parent of a child with Batten disease, you will likely have to spend time away from work. When paired with the expenses of specialty medical care, the resulting loss of income can cause significant financial and emotional distress.

If your child has been diagnosed with Batten disease, your family may be eligible for financial assistance in the form of Social Security Disability benefits. Disability benefits can be used to help cover everything from day-to-day expenses to childcare to medical bills.

Continue reading to learn more about the benefits available to your child and for information regarding the application process.

Disability Benefit Programs

The Social Security Administration operates two separate disability programs. These programs include Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

• SSDI benefits are offered to disabled workers and their eligible family members. To qualify for SSDI, applicants must have earned income and paid Social Security taxes consistently throughout their careers. Because children do not earn income or pay taxes, the only way a child can qualify for SSDI is if he or she has an eligible parent.  This is referred to as an auxiliary benefit or a dependent benefit. Typically however, children will have to qualify for SSI benefits rather than SSDI benefits. Learn more about auxiliary benefits here: http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/glossary/auxiliary-benefits.

• SSI benefits do not have any work history or tax-related requirements. Instead, SSI is offered to disabled individuals who earn very little income.  To qualify for SSI, applicants must fall within the financial limits set by the SSA. The SSA will evaluate children under the age of 18 based on a portion of their parents’ income. This process is called deeming. To learn more about SSI financial limits and deeming, visit this page: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/text-child-ussi.htm.

Compassionate Allowance Program and Medical Criteria

Typically, it takes several months for the SSA to decide the outcome of an initial disability application. However, not all applicants can wait this long. For this reason, the SSA began the Compassionate Allowance program. Under Compassionate Allowance processing, individuals with inherently disabling conditions can be approved for disability benefits in as little as ten days. Fortunately, the SSA recognizes Batten disease as a Compassionate Allowance listing.

To meet the requirements of the Compassionate Allowance listing for Batten disease, you must include specific medical documentation with your child’s application. This should include a record of your child’s diagnosis and should come in the form of the following test results:

• Clinical and neurological examination results
• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Skin or tissue sampling
• EEG results
• Results from electrical studies of the eyes
• Brain scan results

You should work closely with your child’s doctors to prepare his or her Social Security Disability application.  A doctor will help you collect the necessary medical records and can even provide you with a written statement that outlines your child’s condition and limitations.

View the complete Compassionate Allowance listing for Batten Disease, here: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0423022365.

Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits

In order to apply for Social Security Disability benefits for a child, you must apply in person at your local Social Security office. Make sure that you bring the above-mentioned medical evidence to your appointment as well as documentation of your household income and finances such as pay stubs and bank statements. You should receive a decision regarding your child’s claim within two weeks from the date of your child’s application.

Appealing a Denial of Benefits

While it is not common, there is a chance your child’s application could be denied. If your child is denied benefits, you have 60 days in which to appeal the SSA’s decision. Because Batten Disease is a Compassionate Allowance condition, your child’s appeal will be given priority over the standard appeals that are currently in the Social Security system.

If you do need to appeal a denial of benefits, it may be in your child’s best interests to retain the services of a disability attorney. An attorney can help point out any weak spots in your child’s disability claim, can assist you in gathering the evidence you need in order to strengthen your child’s disability case, and can use current Social Security Disability laws to help your child achieve a favorable appeal outcome. Statistics have shown that applicants who obtain legal representation are more likely to win an appeal than applicants who try to represent themselves.

For more information regarding Batten disease and Social Security Disability benefits visit the following page: http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/compassionate-allowances/batten-disease-and-social-security-disability.