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Social Security Announces New Compassionate Allowances Conditions

Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 25 new Compassionate Allowances conditions, including a dozen cancers, bringing the total number of conditions to 225. The Compassionate Allowances program expedites disability decisions for Americans with the most serious disabilities to ensure that they receive their benefit decisions within days instead of months or years. The new conditions also include disorders that affect the digestive, neurological, immune, and multiple body systems.

"We are dedicated to providing vulnerable Americans with faster access to disability benefits through our Compassionate Allowances program," said Acting Commissioner Colvin. "Social Security disability benefits are a vital lifeline for individuals who are facing severe diseases and we must ensure that they receive the benefits they rightly deserve."

The Compassionate Allowances program identifies claims where the applicant's disease or condition clearly meets Social Security's statutory standard for disability. By incorporating cutting-edge technology, the agency can easily identify potential Compassionate Allowances and quickly make decisions. To date, almost 200,000 people with severe disabilities have been approved through this fast-track disability process.

The Compassionate Allowances program is a significant initiative that highlights collaboration between government, medical experts, advocacy groups, and members of the public. Social Security has conducted public outreach hearings and gathered feedback from various stakeholders to identify conditions that are most likely to meet the agency's definition of disability.

"I am extremely pleased that the SSA has included Prostate Cancer in its Compassionate Allowance list - a decision that will save lives, and give more patients access to treatment options," said Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD). "Working with constituents fighting this disease, I know just how life altering it can be, as well as how many will benefit from this change in policy."

1. Angiosarcoma
2. Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor
3. Chronic Idiopathic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction
4. Coffin- Lowry Syndrome
5. Esthesioneuroblastoma
6. Giant Axonal Neuropathy
7. Hoyeaal-Hreidarsson Syndrome
8. Intracranial Hemangiopericytoma
9. Joubert Syndrome
10. Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis
11. Liposarcoma- metastatic or recurrent
12. Malignant Ectomesenchymoma
13. Malignant Renal Rhabdoid Tumor
14. Marshall-Smith Syndrome
15. Oligodendroglioma Brain Tumor- Grade III
16. Pallister-Killian Syndrome
17. Progressive Bulbar Palsy
18. Prostate Cancer - Hormone Refractory Disease - or with visceral metastases
19. Revesz Syndrome
20. Seckel Syndrome
21. Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome
22. Small Cell Cancer of the Thymus
23. Soft Tissue Sarcoma- with distant metastases or recurrent
24. X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Disease
25. X-Linked Myotubular Myopathy