On 8/14/2023, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Kilolo Kijakazi, announced 12 new Compassionate Allowance conditions. 

What is a Compassionate Allowance?

The Social Security Administration recognizes certain medical conditions as automatically meeting their criteria for disability; typically, these conditions are life-threatening and severe, such as rare cancers. If you have a condition that SSA considers a “Compassionate Allowance” your disability claim will be approved very quickly. You may need to submit tests or exams to show proof of your medical condition in order to meet the Compassionate Allowance. 

You can click this link to view all of the conditions which SSA has deemed Compassionate Allowances. In this post we explain the 12 new Compassionate Allowance conditions that were just added. 

1. 1p36 Deletion Syndrome: A rare chromosome disorder that typically causes severe intellectual disability – Meets 110.08B

2. Anaplastic Ependymoma is a malignant tumor that forms in the central nervous system (including the brain and spinal cord). Meets 13.13A2, 113.13B. Anaplastic ependymoma is a Grade III CNS cancer. Response to treatment is not necessary to meet the listing.

3. Calciphylaxis is a rare metabolic disease in which calcium builds up in the walls of veins and arteries, blocking blood flow and resulting in damage to multiple organ systems. Meets 6.03,6.04, and 6.09. Equals 6.09, 8.04. Calciphylaxis can equal listing 8.04 if the skin lesions produced by non-infectious conditions persist for at least 3 months despite continuing treatment as prescribed.

4. Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer that develops in the cells within the thin tubes (bile ducts) that bring the fluid that helps you digest food (bile) from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. Meets: 13.19 – Prognosis is poor based on confirmed diagnosis alone. Response to treatment is not necessary to meet the listing.

5. FOXG1 Syndrome is a genetic condition that severely impairs growth of the brain and body in infants. Meets: 11.02, 11.17, 12.05, 110.08, 111.02, 111.17, 112.02, 112.05

6. Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is a disease of infancy in which the rods and cones – the photoreceptors in the retinas which detect color and light — fail to properly develop, resulting in severe vision impairment. Meets: 2.02 , 102.02

7. Metastatic Endometrial Adenocarcinomais a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissue of the endometrial lining of the uterus and spread (metastasize) to distant parts of the body and other organs including the cervix, vagina, ovaries, lymph nodes, urinary bladder, rectum, bones, and lungs. Meets: 13.23 A 1 – Listing level severity must be documented. Stage IV disease generally indicates spread beyond the regional lymph nodes. 13.23 A 2

8. Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration (PCD) is paraneoplastic syndrome caused by “killer T-cells,” or cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes attacking normal cells in the cerebellum. Meets: 11.17: PCD in adults must meet the conditions of 11.17 A or 11.17 B. 111.17: PCD in children must meet the conditions of 111.17.

9. Pineoblastoma is an aggressive cancerous (malignant) tumor that grows in a part of the brain known as the pineal gland. Meets: 113.13 B: Listing level severity must be documented. 113.13 C 

10. Primary Omental Cancer is an extremely rare cancer that begins in the omentum, a fold of the thin tissue known as the peritoneum that surrounds the stomach and other organs in the abdomen. Meets: 13.04 – Primary greater omentum sarcomas must be of listing level severity. Equals: 13.04

11. Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of the Lung is an aggressive (fast-growing) cancer that is a mix of carcinoma and sarcoma cancer types. Sarcomatoid carcinomas can appear throughout the body but are most commonly observed in the lung. Meets: 13.14 A – Stage II-IV tumors have a high rate of local and metastatic recurrence, and poor prognosis.

12. Trisomy 9 is a congenital impairment in which the body’s cells contain an extra copy of all or part of Chromosome 9, resulting in serious effects on growth and function of a broad array of body systems. Meets: 100.04, 100.05, 104.06, 110.08, 112.02, 112.05, 112.14

If you have any of the 12 conditions listed, or another condition that meets the Compassionate Allowance criteria, please contact our law firm and we can help you file your application for disability benefits!