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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Mary
I am 81 years old, my husband died last year of ALS. We have received great help from Social Security since retirement. I am fearful that the current administration will gut Social Security and our children will not have that support. I hope that the people who benefit from government support (all of us who are not billionaires) now understand what is at stake when they vote —
before it is too late.
Cindy L.
I heard the same thing out reducing benefits to keep it solvent would be to have everyone pay into social security regardless if they’ve reached the contribution salary ceiling. They receive SS benefits too.
Louise g.
If you haven’t signed up for a personal my Social Security account yet, Contact Frank Bisignano
Commissioner of the Social Security Administration of the United States. I just got mine done and received my Social Authentication PIN (SAP)
https://www.facebook.com/F.Bisignano
Patricia S.
Agree!
Cindy L.
I heard the same thing out reducing benefits only by twenty percent to keep the social security fund solvent.
A better way to keep it solvent would be to have everyone pay into social security regardless if they’ve reached the contribution salary ceiling. They receive SS benefits too.
Naïma n.
We relocated abroad and would like to receive our Social Security where we reside. North Africa. How is it possible to process .? Thank you for your reply.
Donald P.
I’m a fully disabled and trying to live on a 1700. A month that is for food, rent,utilities ,and more . And I was told the other day I could not get help with my part B medical anymore. It was all I could do to make it on what I was getting , but now they are telling me that I make to much to get help paying part B that I would have to pay the 184 a month out of my disability check which will put me down to 1595 a month there is no way I can make it off this I was barely make it at 1700. So how do they think I make to much to get help with the part B medical
Trish
Happy 90th Anniversary!
Clifford W.
I did not have health care. After expenses , health care was a bust on my income. Now , I’m trying to file early around my 65 birthday. Are there forms for my category ?
erikpeterhansen
I’ve suffered with serious and persistent mental illness for 30 years and the SSA saved my life. Others around me are in the same situation. Without help we would have spent our lives on the street! Thanks!
Rodna K.
Social Security is so important for so many! The only income for many. I pray Trump and the Republicans understand how important it is to so many who have worked years and put in so much money to receive a portion back. Trump and so many Republicans are wealthy and do not understand what this means to these people!
Louise g.
If you haven’t signed up for a personal my Social Security account yet, Contact Frank Bisignano
Commissioner of the Social Security Administration of the United States. I just got mine done and received my Social Authentication PIN (SAP)
https://www.facebook.com/F.Bisignano
Mike
The BBB did not eliminate axed on SS. It does give a tax deduction to some tax payers. Approx 66% of ax payers today pay no taxes on SS due to their income level. Thee BBB will increase this by approx another 22%. There will be some disappointed tax payers at tax time as our president has mislead the public. The Big benefit of his bill was to continue the reduced taxes on the ultimate rich, such as himself and his administration.
Steve A.
Mike, you are confusing me. You state that 66% of low income tax payers pay no SS tax. You state that the BBB adds 22% more to that list, meaning by your math now 88% of low to medium income tax payers pay no SS tax. What remains are the wealthy who continue to pay. Yet you argue that this is a benefit for the rich at the expense of the poor. That is becoming a very tired argument.