On August 11, the Social Security Administration of the United States announced a new modification regarding Compassionate Allowances (CAL). Since then, the addition of 13 new conditions that will be considered to expedite the disability processes for those applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) has come into effect.
This list of Compassionate Allowances was created to speed up the cases of applicants with clear diagnoses who should not have to go through the entire bureaucratic process. According to the SSA, over 1.1 million applications have been able to take advantage of this new measure, seeing their applications approved in less time.
The medical conditions that have been added to the CAL list are: Au-Kline Syndrome, bilateral Anophthalmia, Carey-Fineman-Ziter Syndrome, Harlequin Ichthyosis (Child), hematopoietic stem cell transplant, congenital muscular dystrophy related to LMNA, progressive muscular atrophy, AL type pulmonary amyloidosis, Rasmussen’s encephalitis, thymic carcinoma, Turnpenny-Fry Syndrome, WHO grade III meningiomas, and Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome.
Social Security Administration (SSA)
The Social Security Administration of the United States is a government organization responsible for managing all social assistance programs related to survivor benefits, retirement, disability, supplemental benefits, among others. Among its functions is also to grant Social Security numbers to citizens, manage the funds and the trust fund of the program. It is also responsible for managing benefits related to the elderly, the blind, or the disabled.
Compassionate Allowances (CAL)
To talk about the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program, we must go back to the year 2008, when it first came to light. It is a program of the United States Social Security Administration (SSA), aimed at speeding up disability benefit applications for those who have a clear and evident diagnosis. It seeks to eliminate the waits and bureaucratic processes involved in such applications for people suffering from one or more of the diseases listed.
Social Security new announcements
On August 11, 2025, the U.S. Social Security Administration made an announcement that was little expected. The recognition of 13 new diseases was added to the official list acknowledged by the Social Security Compassionate Allowances program. With this new announcement, it is intended that those who suffer from one or more of the diseases on the list will not have to endure the long application and bureaucratic processes typical for such requests, but rather have quicker approval processes.
This is very good news for those applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), as they will be able to access this much-needed benefit much more quickly. According to Social Security, more than 1.1 million applications have been processed since it came into effect, with positive resolutions for the applicants. This measure not only represents a benefit for the applicants but also for the administrative workload, as it is a way to reduce the substantial bureaucratic burden faced by the Administration (SSA).
13 new illnesses accepted by CAL
The list has increased by 13 diseases. If you are an applicant or know someone who is, please note:
- Au-Kline Syndrome.
- Bilateral Anophthalmia.
- Carey-Fineman-Ziter Syndrome.
- Harlequin Ichthyosis (Child).
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
- Congenital muscular dystrophy related to LMNA.
- Progressive muscular atrophy.
- AL type pulmonary amyloidosis.
- Rasmussen’s encephalitis.
- Thymic carcinoma.
- Turnpenny-Fry Syndrome.
- WHO grade III meningiomas.
- Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome.
Remember that if you suffer from one or more of these diseases and you are going to proceed with the application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you will need to attach a medical report that proves you are indeed suffering from this illness. This way, the agency will expedite your application process, prioritizing these types of cases. This modification of Social Security represents an improvement related to bureaucratic burdens, in addition to reducing wait times. However, for applicants, it is a significant improvement, as being able to receive that financial subsidy more quickly often makes a substantial difference in their quality of life.