Social Security Administration adds 13 more medical conditions to expedited benefits list

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Those suffering certain serious medical issues can possibly gain faster Social Security benefits now that the Social Security Administration has added 13 new diseases and conditions to its list of disabilities.

Those applying for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income who have conditions on the Compassionate Allowances list, or CAL, have their applications processed more quickly, the agency says. Since the program started in 2008, more than 1.1 million people with severe disabilities have been approved via the expedited process, the SSA said in a news release dated Aug. 11.

“We are constantly looking for ways to improve our disability programs and serve the public more effectively,” said SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano in the news release. “This is part of our broader commitment to making the disability determination process as responsive and compassionate as possible.”

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Social Security Administration’s list of conditions for expedited benefits applications

The addition of the 13 conditions brings the Compassionate Allowances list to 300 serious diseases and conditions that warrant an expedited benefits process. Here are the new conditions added:

• Au-Kline Syndrome

• Bilateral Anophthalmia

• Carey-Fineman-Ziter Syndrome

• Harlequin Ichthyosis – Child

• Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

• LMNA-related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy

• Progressive Muscular Atrophy

• Pulmonary Amyloidosis – AL Type

• Rasmussen Encephalitis

• Thymic Carcinoma

• Turnpenny-Fry Syndrome

• WHO Grade III Meningiomas

• Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome

“By adding these 13 conditions to the Compassionate Allowances list, we are helping more people with devastating diagnoses to quickly receive the support they need,” Bisignano said.

Social Security offices near me in Bucks County

Social Security Office, 444 Lincoln Hwy, Fairless Hills, PA 19030

Social Security Office – Northeast Philadelphia, 9300 Ashton Road #4, Philadelphia, PA 19114

Who can apply for Social Security disability benefits?

People who have been unable to work for a year (12 consecutive months) or more because of a disability can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance, the SSA says. Those whose disabilities are on the Compassionate Allowances list, will have their applications processed more quickly. Typically, SSDI applicants have a 5-month waiting period before payments begin in the sixth month after the agency approved an applicant’s disability.

Supplemental Security Income provides benefits for those with limited income or resources, those aged 65 or older and those who are blind or have a qualifying disability. Children with a qualifying disability can also get SSI, according to the agency’s website. Applicants typically wait six to eight months for an initial decision after submitting their application, federal officials says.

During the process of determining whether to approve benefits, the SSA must get applicants’ medical records. In the case of CAL applicants, the agency will attempt to use technological means including electronic medical records to more quickly process the claim.

“The CAL initiative acts as a fast-track to those benefits for individuals who need them most,” reported financial news site Investopedia.

Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X, and email him at  mikegsnider  &  @mikegsnider.bsky.social  &  @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Social Security compassionate allowances: Agency expands list