The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced the addition of thirteen new serious medical conditions to its Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program, effective August 11, 2025.
This expansion increases the total number of conditions eligible for expedited disability benefit claim reviews to 300. The program aims to fast-track disability determinations for those with conditions that meet Social Security’s legal criteria for disability.
What is the Compassionate Allowances Program?
The Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program is designed to expedite the Social Security disability application process for individuals with severe medical conditions.
These conditions are so obvious and debilitating that they meet the SSA’s strict legal disability standards from the moment of diagnosis, which allows for a much faster decision than the standard disability review process.
How Does the Standard SSA Disability Evaluation Process Work?
The SSA follows a multi-step process for evaluating disability claims:
- Work History Check: A review of the applicant’s employment history.
- Medical Evaluation: A medical assessment by Disability Determination Services (DDS).
- Decision: A decision is made by a local SSA office on whether to approve or deny the claim.
Unfortunately, this process can take several months, with average wait times exceeding 230 days by fiscal year 2025, significantly delaying assistance to those in urgent need.
How Does the CAL Program Help?
The Compassionate Allowances program shortens the wait time for individuals with severe conditions by fast-tracking their applications.
This process ensures that applicants with conditions that clearly meet the disability criteria get their benefits more quickly. Since its introduction, the program has helped over 1.1 million people receive timely benefits.
Criteria for Inclusion in the CAL Program
To qualify for the CAL program, a condition must meet one of the following criteria:
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA): The condition impedes the ability to work.
Duration: The condition is expected to last for at least 12 months or is terminal.
Inclusion in the program is also facilitated by the use of electronic health records, which speeds up the review process by allowing the SSA to quickly access and assess clinical documentation.
The 13 New Conditions Added to the CAL Program
The SSA added the following thirteen conditions to the CAL program:
- Au-Kline Syndrome: A genetic disorder causing developmental delays, intellectual disability, and distinctive facial features.
- Bilateral Anophthalmia: A congenital condition where both eyes are absent, often with additional malformations.
- Carey-Fineman-Ziter Syndrome: A rare muscle disorder characterized by facial paralysis and craniofacial malformations.
- Harlequin Ichthyosis (Infantile): A severe skin condition causing thick, rigid patches at birth.
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A stem cell transplant for serious blood or immune system disorders.
- LMNA-related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy: A genetic condition causing severe muscle weakness from childhood.
- Progressive Muscular Atrophy: A disease that leads to the gradual loss of muscle strength and mass.
- Pulmonary Amyloidosis – AL Type: Abnormal protein accumulation in the lungs that disrupts breathing.
- Rasmussen Encephalitis: A rare neurological condition involving chronic brain inflammation and severe seizures.
- Thymic Carcinoma: A rare and aggressive cancer originating in the thymus gland.
- Turnpenny-Fry Syndrome: A genetic disorder with growth retardation, intellectual disability, and distinctive facial features.
- WHO Grade III Meningiomas: Malignant brain tumors that grow rapidly and frequently recur.
- Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome: A genetic disorder associated with developmental delays, microcephaly, and motor problems.
The Impact of the CAL Program
With nearly 957,000 initial disability benefit applications filed in fiscal year 2025 alone, the CAL program’s ability to expedite cases is essential in reducing the backlog of claims.
This fast-track approach ensures that individuals with the most severe and undeniable medical conditions receive their benefits as soon as possible, preventing unnecessary delays.
What Benefits Are Available to Those with CAL Conditions?
Individuals with conditions approved under the CAL program are eligible for two types of benefits:
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): This benefit is available to individuals who have accumulated enough work credits through employment. The maximum monthly amount for SSDI is $4,018.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI): SSI benefits are based on financial need rather than work history. The maximum monthly SSI amount is capped at $967, which is lower than SSDI.
The expansion of the Compassionate Allowances program is a critical step in providing faster disability benefits to those with severe medical conditions. By adding thirteen new conditions to the list, the SSA ensures that more individuals can quickly access the support they need.
