BALTIMORE, MD – The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced the addition of 14 conditions to the agency’s Compassionate Allowances (CAL) list. The CAL initiative accelerates the disability application process for individuals with serious diseases and medical conditions that meet the statutory standard for disability benefits.
The newly added conditions are:
- Adenylosuccinate Lyase Deficiency – Neonatal Form and Type 1
- Aicardi Syndrome
- Baraitser-Winter Syndrome
- Beare-Stevenson Cutis Gyrata Syndrome
- Bohring-Opitz Syndrome
- CASK-Related Gene Disorders
- Hepatosplenic T-Cell Lymphoma
- Lafora Disease
- Malignant Migrating Partial Seizures of Infancy (MMPSI)
- OPHN1 Syndrome
- Primary Cardiac Sarcoma
- Primary Intracranial Malignant Melanoma
- Uveal Melanoma – with Metastases
- Warburg Micro Syndrome
With the inclusion of these 14 conditions, the CAL list now includes 314 conditions in total. Since the CAL initiative began, over 1.2 million people with severe disabilities have been approved through this accelerated disability process.
“Social Security is strengthening our disability programs and making the disability determination process better, faster, and higher-quality to serve the American public,” said Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano. “The Compassionate Allowances initiative cuts through red tape and allows us to deliver support to individuals who experience life-changing diagnoses and need help fast.”
When a person applies for disability benefits, SSA must obtain medical records to make an accurate determination. The agency uses technology to identify potential CAL conditions and expedite claims processing. Although not available in every claim, through the Health IT program, SSA securely receives electronic medical records, allowing for adjudicators to make faster and more accurate decisions.
For more information about the initiative, including a list of all CAL conditions, please visit www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances.
To learn more about Social Security’s Health IT program, please visit www.ssa.gov/hit.
People may apply online for disability benefits by visiting www.ssa.gov.
