The Social Security Administration announced Tuesday that it has added 14 conditions to its Compassionate Allowances list, an initiative that fast-tracks disability benefit claims for people with serious medical conditions.
Most of the new additions are rare genetic disorders, including Aicardi syndrome, Bohring-Opitz syndrome, and CASK-related gene disorders. The updated list also includes four cancers: hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, primary cardiac sarcoma, primary intracranial malignant melanoma, and uveal melanoma with metastases.
“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,” Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano said in a statement.
How It Works
When someone applies for disability benefits, the Social Security Administration reviews medical records to determine whether they qualify. The agency uses technology to identify potential Compassionate Allowances conditions and expedite claims processing.
Since the initiative was launched in 2008, over 1.2 million people with severe disabilities have been approved through the accelerated disability process. With the latest additions, the Compassionate Allowances list now includes 314 conditions total.
The 14 New Conditions
The following conditions have been added to Social Security’s Compassionate Allowances 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
· OPHN1 Syndrome
· Primary Cardiac Sarcoma
· Primary Intracranial Malignant Melanoma
· Uveal Melanoma – with Metastases
· Warburg Micro Syndrome
The Bottom Line
The Social Security Administration has added 14 conditions to its Compassionate Allowances list, which fast-tracks disability benefits for people with serious medical conditions. The new additions include rare genetic disorders and four cancers. The initiative, launched in 2008, has approved over 1.2 million people for disability benefits. The list now includes 314 conditions total.
