On August 11, the Social Security Administration (also known as the SSA) announced that it would be adding thirteen new medical conditions to its “compassionate allowances” list. As a result, people who have these conditions can avoid many of the hurdles that people ordinarily face when seeking Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This will be of great benefit to all the people who suffer from these conditions, and may have struggled in the past to obtain Social Security disability benefits.
What is the Compassionate Allowances List?
The “compassionate allowances” list is a list of medical conditions that receive special treatment from the SSA, compared to other types of disabilities. Ordinarily, when someone applies for SSDI or SSI benefits, they must go through something known as Disability Determination Services (DDS) to determine the nature and severity of their condition. However, people with a condition on this list can avoid this part of the application process, speeding things up and making it more likely they will obtain benefits.
What Does it Mean to be Added to the Compassionate Allowances List?
All of the medical conditions on the compassionate allowances list are added because people with these conditions are so serious that there is no reasonable way for them to care for themselves. Thus, even a mere diagnosis is sufficient to be considered legally disabled, without needing additional medical screening. In many cases, these conditions are also congenital, or likely to be with someone for the entire rest of their lives, meaning they often can avoid much of the process involved in proving they are still disabled.
What Conditions Were Added to the List?
The following conditions were added to the compassionate allowances list, as of August 11, 2025:
- Au-Kline Syndrome
- Bilateral Anophthalmia
- 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
- WHO Grade III Meningiomas
- Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome
What Should You Do?
If you have one of the listed medical conditions, or you are otherwise suffering from a mental or physical condition that prevents you from handling your personal needs, you should speak to a lawyer with experience handling disability applications. They can help you to not only submit your application, they can also help you appeal if your application is denied. The sooner you call, the sooner they can get to work for you.
If you or a loved one need assistance applying for SSDI or SSI benefits, it is important that you seek the guidance of an experienced Social Security Disability benefits lawyer. The lawyers at Sullivan & Kehoe, LLP have over 50 years of combined experience between its attorneys and are available to you or your loved one in obtaining Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income benefits. To schedule a consultation with our New York Social Security Disability benefits lawyers, call (631) 823-7155.
