Social Security Makes it Easier for People with Severe Disabilities to Get Help
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: August 11, 2025
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 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
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.
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Victor C.
Firstly, Anyone who is not an American citizen, should be canceled from the SSI rolls.
Compassion sounds good, but this system is paid for by American workers.
Second, Anybody who hobbles in, with an assist of a cane in hand, is automatically accepted.
Third, Our government is pillaging, and by doing so, destroys a perfect system.
H.Williams
No, that about not having enough staffing. Trump cut staffing for several federal agencies. And also, several offices were closed, thus creating longer wait time.
Dee M.
Where is the extra income coming from to pay for the extra benefits? Has the number of unqualified receiving SS been reduced to zero?
David P.
David
August 15, 2025 11:17 AM
Everything is good, except I was wondering why the Government don’t go ahead and take taxes out now so I don’t have to pay in at the end of the year ? Otherwise I’m very happy…😊 Thank you and have a blessed day
Amphétamines a.
Everthing is good but how is it funded?? https://droguerievirale.com/
Joe A.
From Wikipedia:
Bisignano had stated, according to an article in the Federal News Network:[29]
[A]fter being tapped by the Trump administration to lead the agency, I don’t think the commissioner of Social Security is like a globally known title. It is to you, right? But, like, it wasn’t to me. I’m like, “Well, what am I gonna do?” So I’m Googling “Social Security”. That’s one of my great skills, I’m one of the great Googlers on the East Coast…. I’m like, “What the heck’s the commissioner of Social Security?”
Political commentator Steve Benen said that “the fact that the new Social Security commissioner, up until recently, had no idea what the Social Security commissioner’s responsibilities entailed does not inspire confidence”,[30] but “[a]n SSA official said Bisignano was ‘clearly’ making a joke about needing to Google the details and responsibilities of his new role”.[31]
Ed D.
This email and blog are both very well written. SSA has never sent emails to convince me that they are doing something beneficial for me, until now. There was no need. Apparently, now there is. With loyalty to one person being the #1 requirement for the head of SSA and other departments and bureaus I have difficulty taking this email and blog at face value.
Les W.
You guys are doing a great job!
Bill
I’m not happy to see my tax dollars being used to pay for SSA advertising emails and the communications officer who oversees such advertising.
Brian S.
I am glad that i can receive a pay check from social security disability benefits. But i don’t agree with the total amount that one can get. With the cost of living going up and up then are check social security disability check sould do the same. It is hard to live and eat with the checks that we received each month. Plus you are taking out for are heath care that take more money out of are pocket to survive. Just like retirement we should be able to make money on the side up to a certain amount to help with expenses with out be pentillise
MEHRDAD S.
They need to increase the allowance of seniors can make if they work. 23000 a year in earnings is to little to live into be able to get your benefits . It should increase at least by 10.000 per year