Many people wait months for a decision on their disability application, but depending on your condition, you may qualify for expedited processing.
The Social Security Compassionate Allowances program fast-tracks applications for people with the most severe, often life-threatening, conditions, reducing a process that can take months down to just weeks.
In this article, we’ll discuss Compassionate Allowances, Quick Disability Determinations, and whether your condition could qualify you for a faster decision.
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Key Takeaways
- The Social Security Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program speeds up SSDI approvals for people with severe or terminal conditions.
- Quick Disability Determinations (QDD) works alongside CAL and uses computer screening to fast-track cases likely to be approved.
- Over 300 conditions qualify for CAL, including ALS, certain cancers, and early-onset Alzheimer’s.
In this article about Compassionate Allowance:
What are Social Security Compassionate Allowances?
The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program uses computer technology to quickly identify and approve individuals with severe disabilities or terminal conditions. The Compassionate Allowance program shortens the waiting period compared to other Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applications. While you may not receive immediate approval, the SSA uses technology and electronic medical records to reach a decision more quickly.
SSDI applicants with serious diseases or disabilities that clearly qualify for benefits receive automatic approval through the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program, as long as they meet eligibility requirements. This fast-track process doesn’t change your monthly payment, which SSDI calculates based on your work history rather than the severity of your condition.
CALs often work hand-in-hand with Quick Disability Determinations (QDD), though they’re technically separate programs. Many severe disability claims flagged for CAL also go through the QDD process to speed approval. Unlike CAL, QDD doesn’t have a fixed list — any SSDI claim with strong medical evidence may qualify for expedited processing.
The full Compassionate Allowance list covers a growing number of medical conditions that automatically qualify for SSDI, including ALS, certain cancers, and rare childhood disorders. Since launching in 2008, the program has approved more than 1 million people.
Compassionate Allowance list
The SSA lists 300 medical conditions that qualify for expedited processing and adds new conditions each year.
You can view the full list at the link above, but common conditions that qualify for Social Security Compassionate Allowances include:
- Acute and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Adrenal Cancer
- Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Parkinsonism Dementia Complex
- Breast Cancer – with distant metastases or inoperable or unresectable
- Child Lymphoma
- Child Neuroblastoma – with distant metastases or recurrent
- Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
- Esophageal Cancer
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Head and Neck Cancers with distant metastasis or inoperable, or unresectable
- Kidney Cancer, inoperable or unresectable
- Obliterative Bronchiolitis
- Ovarian Cancer with distant metastases, or inoperable or unresectable
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Prostate Cancer with distant metastases or inoperable, unresectable, or recurrent
- Ureter Cancer with distant metastases or inoperable, unresectable, or recurrent
How to apply for a Compassionate Allowance
There’s no separate application for a Compassionate Allowance. When the SSA receives strong medical evidence for a condition that’s likely to qualify, the CAL or QDD process flags the claim for priority review. You just need to make sure you have provided thorough medical evidence for your qualifying condition.
The SSA regularly updates the Compassionate Allowances list based on feedback from the public and recommendations from medical experts. You can suggest a new condition through the SSA’s website by providing:
- Your contact information
- Your medical condition or disease, along with a description
- Any diagnostic testing or physical exams you’ve undergone related to your condition
- When your condition began, how it has progressed, and how you have treated it
It’s important to keep in mind that the SSA only adds conditions it finds to be the most severe to this list.
Is there a Quick Disability Determination list?
While there is no official Quick Disability Determination list, the SSA uses computer-based screening systems to identify SSDI claims that are likely to be approved.
The QDD process relies on the medical evidence SSA has received and a computer-based predictive model to screen for applicants with highly likely favorable results. If you have a qualifying disability with plenty of supporting medical evidence, your application may be expedited.
How Woods & Woods can help
Having a disability shouldn’t mean losing your peace of mind. At Woods & Woods, we help individuals with disabilities connect with legal help. If you’re seeking SSDI benefits, call us today for a free case evaluation.
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Frequently asked questions
The SSA may grant a Compassionate Allowance to people with certain severe or terminal conditions, expediting the approval of their disability applications.
While there is no official quick disability determination list, the SSA uses computer-based screening systems to identify SSDI claims that are likely to be approved.
Lori Underwood
Lori Underwood received her law degree from Northern Kentucky University. She previously practiced Social Security disability and personal injury law and was a juvenile court attorney.
She has been an attorney at
Woods & Woods since 2014.
