Social Security Makes it Easier for People with Severe Disabilities to Get Help | Social Security Matters

If you or someone you care about is living with a serious medical condition, you understand how crucial it is to receive timely support. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has recently added 13 new conditions to its Compassionate Allowances (CAL) list, which will enable more people to access disability benefits more quickly.

What’s the Compassionate Allowances List?

The CAL list is our way of fast-tracking help for people with the most severe health problems. If your condition is on this list, it’s serious enough to qualify for disability benefits and your application is moved to the front of the line.

What’s Changed?

We added these 13 conditions to the CAL list:

Au-Kline SyndromeBilateral AnophthalmiaCarey-Fineman-Ziter SyndromeHarlequin Ichthyosis – ChildHematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationLMNA-related Congenital Muscular DystrophyProgressive Muscular AtrophyPulmonary Amyloidosis – AL TypeRasmussen EncephalitisThymic CarcinomaTurnpenny-Fry SyndromeWHO Grade III MeningiomasZhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome

With these additions, there are now 300 conditions on the list. That means more people than ever can get the help they need, without waiting months or even years for a decision.

Why Does This Matter?

Waiting for disability benefits can be stressful, especially when you’re dealing with a life-changing diagnosis. The CAL initiative is designed to cut through the red tape for people who need help the most. Since the initiative started, over 1.1 million people have gotten benefits more quickly because their conditions were on the list.

How Does It Work?

When you apply for disability benefits, we review your medical records to see if you qualify. If your condition is on the CAL list, we use technology to flag your application and speed things up. In some cases, we can even get your medical records electronically, which makes the process even faster.

For the full list of CAL conditions, visit: ssa.gov/compassionateallowances. To start your application for disability benefits, visit: www.ssa.gov/apply.