Social Security adds 14 health conditions to disability fast-track list

The Social Security Administration has announced the addition of 14 health conditions to their Compassionate Allowances (CAL) list. 

The CAL initiative makes those conditions eligible for fast-track disability benefits for those with serious diseases and medical conditions that meet the standard. There are now a total of 314 conditions on the list. 

What they're saying:

Social Security Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano spoke about the improvements in the system saying, "Social Security is strengthening our disability programs and making the disability determination process better, faster, and higher-quality to serve the American public," Bisignano said. "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."

Why you should care:

The 14 new conditions on the accelerated list:

• 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

The backstory:

More than 1.2 million people with severe disabilities have been approved through the accelerated program since it began in 2008. Digital medical records and the Health IT program are used to quickly spot qualifying diagnoses without standard delays.  

Compassionate Allowances program

Big picture view:

The Social Security Administration says Compassionate Allowances are one of the quietest ways to diagnose the severe, rare and terminal medical conditions that meet the standard for disability benefits. Many of these disorders are rare disorders that affect children. 

The CAL initiative is in place to reduce wait times for those with the most serious disabilities in order to reach a determination for their condition. Once claims are identified as meeting the statutory standard for disability benefits, they are expedited through the approval process, allowing eligible applicants to receive a decision more quickly.

To see the full list of all CAL conditions, visit the Social Security Administration's website at www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances.

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