The Social Security Administration (SSA) is allowing more people to fast track their access to disability benefits.
On Tuesday, the agency added 14 more medical conditions to its Compassionate Allowances list (CAL). The newest conditions on the list include genetic disorders, cancer, and more.
What are compassionate allowances?
As noted by the National Council on Aging, the SSA first created the Compassionate Allowances program in 2008
According to Social Security, the allowances “are a way to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that, by definition, meet Social Security’s standards for disability benefits.”
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This includes applications for Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.
The Social Security Administration looks at a person’s medical records if they apply for any of these disability benefits. In many of the claims, the agency can use technology to see if the applicant has any of the Compassionate Allowance conditions.
With the new additions, the list now includes 314 conditions, such as ALS/parkinsonism dementia complex, child lymphoma, and ovarian cancer.
