1. What Are Compassionate Allowances?

Compassionate Allowances are an SSA program designed to quickly identify and approve disability claims for applicants with severe medical conditions that clearly meet Social Security’s disability standards.

• CAL does not change eligibility rules. You must still prove your condition prevents substantial gainful activity (SGA), but SSA fast-tracks these applications because the severity is presumed.
• Decisions for CAL cases can be made in as little as a few weeks, compared to the typical three to five months for standard claims.

2. How Does Compassionate Allowances Work in Illinois?

When you apply for SSDI or SSI in Illinois:

• SSA automatically screens your application for CAL conditions.
• If your medical records or diagnosis indicate a CAL condition, your claim is flagged for expedited processing.
• SSA may still request some medical evidence, but approvals are typically faster because these conditions are clearly disabling under SSA standards.

3. Examples of Compassionate Allowance Conditions

As of current SSA listings, more than 250 conditions qualify under the Compassionate Allowances program. Some common CAL conditions include:

• Certain cancers with metastasis or inoperability, such as pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, or esophageal cancer
• ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
• Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
• Childhood rare disorders, such as Tay-Sachs disease or Batten disease
• Adult brain disorders, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Severe genetic disorders, such as Trisomy 13 or Trisomy 18

For a full list of CAL conditions, SSA publishes their Compassionate Allowances Conditions List on their website, which is regularly updated as new qualifying conditions are added.

4. How to Apply for Compassionate Allowances in Illinois

There is no separate application for Compassionate Allowances. Instead:

1. Complete your standard SSDI or SSI application.
2. Provide a clear medical diagnosis and supporting documentation showing you have a CAL condition.
3. SSA systems automatically flag CAL conditions during initial processing for expedited review.
4. Include specific diagnosis codes, pathology reports, and specialist confirmations to ensure your CAL condition is immediately recognized.

5. Required Medical Evidence

To process a CAL claim efficiently, submit:

• Doctor’s statements with a definitive diagnosis
• Pathology reports, biopsy results, or genetic testing results confirming the condition
• Hospital discharge summaries and oncology or neurology reports if applicable

For cancers, include staging information, metastasis evidence, and treatment summaries. For neurodegenerative diseases, include neurological evaluations and cognitive assessments confirming functional limitations.

6. Processing Time for Compassionate Allowances

Most Compassionate Allowances cases are processed in a few weeks to two months, compared to three to six months for standard disability applications. However:

• Delays can still occur if medical records are incomplete or providers are slow to respond.
• SSA may schedule a Consultative Examination (CE) if documentation is insufficient, although this is rare for clear CAL diagnoses.

7. Benefits of Compassionate Allowances

• Faster access to benefits, providing critical financial support for urgent medical needs
• Reduced emotional stress due to long application wait times
• Assurance that SSA recognizes the severity of your condition without prolonged evidentiary challenges

8. Key Differences Between Compassionate Allowances and Standard Disability Applications

Unlike regular disability claims that require detailed evaluation of functional limitations, CAL focuses on diagnosis confirmation only, since SSA presumes these conditions are disabling. This removes complex vocational and RFC assessments from the approval process.