Social Security Expands Fast-Track List

Social Security Adds 13 Severe Conditions to Fast-Track Disability Benefits
If you or someone you care about is living with a serious medical condition, timely access to support can make all the difference. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has expanded its Compassionate Allowances (CAL) list, adding 13 new conditions that qualify for fast-tracked disability benefits.

What’s the Compassionate Allowances List?
The CAL list identifies the most severe medical conditions that automatically meet SSA’s standards for disability benefits. Applications for these conditions are moved to the front of the line, reducing wait times significantly.

New Conditions Added
Among the 13 newly added conditions are three that directly cause blindness or low vision:

• Au-Kline Syndrome – causes multiple disabilities, including low vision.
• Bilateral Anophthalmia – complete absence of the eyes, resulting in total blindness.
• Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome – causes multiple disabilities, including low vision.

The other conditions added include:
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, and WHO Grade III Meningiomas.

With these additions, the CAL list now includes 300 conditions, helping more people receive benefits without months or years of delays.

Why This Matters
For people facing life-altering diagnoses, the wait for disability benefits can be overwhelming. The CAL initiative cuts through the red tape, ensuring that those most in need get help as quickly as possible. Since its creation, it has helped over 1.1 million people access benefits faster.

How to Apply
If your condition is on the CAL list, SSA technology flags your application for expedited review. In some cases, medical records can be retrieved electronically, further reducing wait times.

• Full CAL list: ssa.gov/compassionateallowances
• Apply for disability benefits: ssa.gov/apply