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What is a compassionate allowance?

On Behalf of | Feb 3, 2025 | SSDI

People who have disabling medical conditions or injuries may not be able to work enough to support themselves. For those who have a suitable employment history, filing for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is one option they have. 

The application and decision process for SSDI can take a considerable amount of time. Typically, these applications take six to eight months for an initial decision to be made. It can take longer if the initial decision is a denial and the person opts to file an appeal. 

There’s no way to speed up the process besides ensuring the application and documentation are properly submitted and comprehensive. The only exception to this is if the applicant qualifies for the compassionate allowances program. 

Fast-track process is automatic 

Some applicants have illnesses or injuries that are so serious that waiting that time might not be possible. Those individuals may qualify for the compassionate allowances program, which is a fast-track program to get the application approved in less time. More than one million applicants have been approved for benefits through this program.

The compassionate allowance program is triggered automatically because of a specific algorithm built into the application system. Any application that includes a diagnosis on the compassionate allowances list moves to the fast-tracked approval.

Only certain conditions qualify

The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains a list of conditions that qualify for this program. Conditions can be submitted for consideration. They are then evaluated for qualification by the SSA. As of Aug. 15, 2024, there are 287 conditions that are on the list. 

The most recent additions include renal medullary carcinoma, a child on the heart transplant list with a status level of 1A/1B, adults on the heart transplant list with a status level of 1 to 4, neonatal Marfan syndrome, histiocytosis syndromes and plasmablastic lymphoma.

Applicants who need to apply for SSDI should ensure they have everything clearly stated and documented on their application. Because only specific conditions qualify for the compassionate allowances program, people without those should be prepared to go through the lengthy decision process. Having someone on their side to help them with the initial application and any appeals may be beneficial.