Certain illnesses, including many cancers, are eligible for expedited processing if they have been designated as compassionate allowances.
Updated 9/03/2025
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides expedited processing for medical conditions that are listed in the "Compassionate Allowances List" (CAL). CAL cases don't involve any special criteria for qualifying for disability benefits. Rather, Compassionate Allowance cases are those involving such severe impairments that the case would always match one of Social Security's disability listings.
How Do I Apply for a Compassionate Allowance?
You don't apply for a Compassionate Allowance specifically. Social Security reviews all disability applications to see whcih ones qualify as compassionate allowances. Compassionate Allowance cases are selected for fast processing based solely on the allegations of the disability claimant (applicant) or of a parent of a child claimant. If the allegations fit the SSA's predictive model that the claim will be able to be approved with minimal objective information (such as a positive biopsy for esophageal cancer), the case is put on a fast track for a decision. It can help to note on the top of your application "Compassionate Allowance claim" -- unless you're applying online.
Compassionate Allowances (CAL) apply to both SSDI and SSI claims. Because minimal objective information is required--proof of the medical condition is sufficient to assume disability--these cases can be allowed (approved) in much less time.
What Medical Evidence Is Required?
The information that Disability Determination Services (DDS, a state agency that makes disability determinations for the SSA) must have is truly nominal—just enough information to establish the correct diagnosis. However, hospitals or treating doctors may take weeks or months to respond to a DDS request for medical records. Therefore, you can speed up processing of your claim by submitting basic medical information along with your application or sending it to the examiner yourself.
The type of medical information you need to submit depends on the nature of your condition. Most CAL cases involve cancer. If you have leukemia or another form of cancer, the most important thing is the biopsy report. Along with a hospital discharge summary or letter from your doctor, that would be sufficient evidence to get a disability approval through the CAL program (if your type and stage of cancer is on the list of CAL conditions).
How Quickly Are Compassionate Allowances Decided?
Unlike many claims, Compassionate Allowance cases are decided within a matter of days rather than months. That is the "compassion" component of the Compassionate Allowances program: the SSA gives them priority. In that sense, these cases are similar to Quick Disability Determination (QDD) cases. However, unlike a QDD claim, a medical consultant is needed to medically assess and sign a CAL case before approval or denial. In all other ways, CAL cases are like regular disability cases. For instance, the five-month waiting period for SSDI claims is not waived by having a compassionate allowance. The waiting period is established by federal law and cannot be reversed by SSA's compassionate allowance initiative.
Other Expedited Social Security Processes
The Social Security Administration also has a program for terminal illnesses that provides for quick disability decisions. Learn more about the terminal illness program (TERI).
Quick Disability Determination is an automated method that Social Security uses to identify and process claims for obvious disabilities. Learn more about Quick Disability Determinations.
Another program, the presumptive disability program, doesn't speed up the decision, but does pay benefits while your claim is being decided. This program is available for SSI only. Learn more about the presumptive disability program.
What Conditions Qualify for Compassionate Allowances?
Here is a complete list of CAL impairments:
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1p36 Deletion Syndrome |
Malignant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor |
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Acute Leukemia |
Malignant Germ Cell Tumor |
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Adrenal Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent |
Malignant Multiple Sclerosis |
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Adult Heart Transplant Wait List—Status Levels 1-4 |
Malignant Renal Rhabdoid Tumor |
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Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma |
Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) |
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Adult Onset Huntington Disease |
Maple Syrup Urine Disease |
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Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome |
Marshall-Smith Syndrome |
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Alexander Disease (ALX) - Neonatal and Infantile |
Mastocytosis - Type IV |
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Allan-Herndon-Dudley Syndrome |
MECP2 Duplication Syndrome |
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Alobar Holoprosencephaly |
Medulloblastoma |
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Alpers Disease |
Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome |
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Alpha Mannosidosis - Type II and III |
Megalencephaly Capillary Malformation Syndrome |
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Alstrom Syndrome |
Menkes Disease - Classic or Infantile Onset Form |
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Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma |
Merkel Cell Carcinoma - with metastases |
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Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia |
Merosin Deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy |
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) |
Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) - Late Infantile |
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Anaplastic Adrenal Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent |
Metastatic Endometrial Adenocarcinoma |
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Anaplastic Ependymoma |
|
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Angelman Syndrome |
Microvillus Inclusion Disease – Child |
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Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma |
Mitral Valve Atresia |
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Angiosarcoma |
Mixed Dementias |
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Aortic Atresia |
Mowat-Wilson Syndrome |
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Aplastic Anemia |
MPS I, formerly known as Hurler Syndrome |
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Astrocytoma - Grade III and IV |
MPS II, formerly known as Hunter Syndromeerly known as Hurler Syndrome |
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Ataxia Telangiectasia |
MPS III, formerly known as Sanfilippo Syndrome |
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Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor |
Mucosal Malignant Melanoma |
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Au-Kline Syndrome |
Multicentric Castleman Disease |
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Bainbridge-Ropers Syndrome |
Multiple System Atrophy |
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Batten Disease |
Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Excess Blasts |
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Beta Thalassemia Major |
Myoclonic Epilepsy with Ragged Red Fibers Syndrome |
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Bilateral Anophthalmia |
Neonatal Adrenoleukodystrophy |
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Bilateral Optic Atrophy- Infantile |
Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis |
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Bilateral Retinoblastoma |
Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation - Types 1 and 2 |
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Bladder Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable or unresectable |
NFU-1 Mitochondrial Disease |
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Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm |
Nicolaides-Baraister Syndrome |
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Breast Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable or unresectable |
Niemann-Pick Disease (NPD) - Type A |
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CACH--Vanishing White Matter Disease-Infantile and Childhood Onset Forms |
Niemann-Pick Disease-Type C |
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Calciphylaxis |
Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia |
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Canavan Disease (CD) |
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer |
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Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Site |
NUT Carcinoma |
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Cardiac Amyloidosis- AL Type |
Obliterative Bronchiolitis |
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Carey-Fineman-Ziter Syndrome |
Ohtahara Syndrome |
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Caudal Regression Syndrome - Types III and IV |
Oligodendroglioma Brain Cancer - Grade III |
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CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder |
Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency |
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Cerebro Oculo Facio Skeletal (COFS) Syndrome |
Orthochromatic Leukodystrophy with Pigmented Glia |
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Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis |
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) - Type II |
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Charlevoix-Saguenay Spastic Ataxia |
Osteosarcoma, formerly known as Bone Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable or unresectable |
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Child Lymphoblastic Lymphoma |
Ovarian Cancer – with distant metastases or inoperable or unresectable |
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Child Lymphoma |
PACS1 Syndrome |
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Child Neuroblastoma - with distant metastases or recurrent |
Pallister-Killian Syndrome |
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Cholangiocarcinoma |
Pancreatic Cancer |
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Chondrosarcoma - with multimodal therapy |
Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration |
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Choroid Plexus Carcinoma |
Paraneoplastic Pemphigus |
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Chronic Idiopathic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction |
Patau Syndrome (Trisomy 13) |
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Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) - Blast Phase |
Pearson Syndrome |
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CIC-rearranged Sarcoma |
Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease-Classic Form |
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Coffin-Lowry Syndrome |
Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease-Connatal Form |
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Congenital Lymphedema |
Pericardial Mesothelioma |
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Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy |
Peripheral Nerve Cancer - metastatic or recurrent |
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Congenital Zika Syndrome |
Peritoneal Mesothelioma |
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Cornelia de Lange Syndrome - Classic Form |
Peritoneal Mucinous Carcinomatosis |
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Corticobasal Degeneration |
Perry Syndrome |
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Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) – Adult |
Pfeiffer Syndrome - Types II and III |
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Cri du Chat Syndrome |
Phelan-McDermid Syndrome |
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Degos Disease - Systemic |
Pineoblastoma - Childhood |
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DeSanctis Cacchione Syndrome |
Pitt Hopkins Syndrome |
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Desmoplastic Mesothelioma |
Plasmablastic Lymphoma |
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Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumors |
Pleural Mesothelioma |
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Dravet Syndrome |
Pompe Disease – Infantile |
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Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy- Adult |
Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia |
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Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease |
Posterior Cortical Atrophy |
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Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18) |
Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma |
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Eisenmenger Syndrome |
Primary Effusion Lymphoma |
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Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma |
Primary Omental Cancer |
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Endomyocardial Fibrosis |
Primary Peritoneal Cancer |
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Ependymoblastoma (Child Brain Cancer) |
Primary Progressive Aphasia |
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Erdheim Chester Disease |
Progressive Bulbar Palsy |
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Esophageal Cancer |
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy |
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Esthesioneuroblastoma |
Progressive Muscular Atrophy |
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Ewing Sarcoma |
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy |
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Farber's Disease (FD) – Infantile |
Prostate Cancer - Hormone Refractory Disease – or with visceral metastases |
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Fatal Familial Insomnia |
Pulmonary Amyloidosis - AL Type |
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Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva |
Pulmonary Atresia |
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Fibrolamellar Cancer |
Pulmonary Kaposi Sarcoma |
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Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma - metastatic or recurrent |
Rasmussen Encephalitis |
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FOXG1 Syndrome |
Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma |
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Friedreichs Ataxia (FRDA) |
Renal Amyloidosis - AL Type |
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Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Picks Disease -Type A – Adult |
Renal Medullary Carcinoma |
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Fryns Syndrome |
Renpenning Syndrome |
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Fucosidosis - Type 1 |
Retinopathy of Prematurity - Stage V, Bilateral |
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Fukuyama Congenital Muscular Dystrophy |
Rett (RTT) Syndrome |
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Fulminant Giant Cell Myocarditis |
Revesz Syndrome |
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Galactosialidosis - Early and Late Infantile Types |
Rhabdomyosarcoma |
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Gallbladder Cancer |
Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata |
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Gaucher Disease (GD) - Type 2 |
Richter Syndrome |
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Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Disease |
Roberts Syndrome |
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Giant Axonal Neuropathy |
Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome |
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Glioblastoma Multiforme (Adult Brain Cancer) |
Salivary Cancers |
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Glioma Grade III and IV |
Sandhoff Disease |
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Glutaric Acidemia - Type II |
Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of the Lung - Stages II - IV |
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GM1 Gangliosidosis - Infantile and Juvenile Forms |
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma |
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Harlequin Ichthyosis - Child |
Schindler Disease - Type 1 |
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Head and Neck Cancers - with distant metastasis or inoperable or unresectable |
SCN8A Related Epilepsy with Encephalopathy |
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Heart Transplant Graft Failure |
Seckel Syndrome |
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Heart Transplant Wait List - 1A/1B |
Secondary Adenocarcinoma of the Brain |
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Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation |
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency - Childhood |
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Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) - Familial Type |
Single Ventricle |
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Hepatoblastoma |
Sinonasal Cancer |
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Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome |
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Hepatopulmonary Syndrome |
Skin Malignant Melanoma with Metastases |
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Hepatorenal Syndrome |
Small Cell Cancer Large Intestine |
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Histiocytosis Syndromes |
Small Cell Cancer of the Female Genital Tract |
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Hoyeaal-Hreidarsson Syndrome |
Small Cell Lung Cancer |
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Hutchison-Gilford Progeria Syndrome |
Small Intestine Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent |
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Hydranencephaly |
Smith Lemli Opitz Syndrome |
|
Hypocomplementemic Urticarial Vasculitis Syndrome |
Snijders Blok-Campeau Syndrome |
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Hypophosphatasia Perinatal (Lethal) and Infantile Onset Types |
Soft Tissue Sarcoma - with distant metastases or recurrent |
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Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome |
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) - Types 0 and 1 |
|
I Cell Disease |
Spinal Nerve Root Cancer-metastatic or recurrent |
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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis |
Spinocerebellar Ataxia |
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Intracranial Hemangiopericytoma |
Stiff Person Syndrome |
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Infantile Free Sialic Acid Storage Disease |
Stomach Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent |
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Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy (INAD) |
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis |
|
Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses |
Superficial Siderosis of the Central Nervous System |
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Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) |
SYNGAP1-related NSID |
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Intracranial Hemangiopericytoma |
Tabes Dorsalis |
|
Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome |
Tay Sachs Disease - Infantile Type |
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Joubert Syndrome |
Taybi-Linder Syndrome |
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Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa - Lethal Type |
Tetrasomy 18p |
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Juvenile Onset Huntington Disease |
Thanatophoric Dysplasia - Type 1 |
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Kidney Cancer - inoperable or unresectable |
Thymic Carcinoma |
|
Kleefstra Syndrome |
Thyroid Cancer |
|
Krabbe Disease (KD) – Infantile |
Transplant Coronary Artery Vasculopathy |
|
Kufs Disease - Type A and B |
Tricuspid Atresia |
|
Large Intestine Cancer - with distant metastasis or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent |
Trisomy 9 |
|
Late Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses |
Turnpenny-Fry Syndrome |
|
Leber Congenital Amaurosis |
Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy |
|
Leigh's Disease |
Ureter Cancer - with distant metastases or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent |
|
Leiomyosarcoma |
Usher Syndrome - Type I |
|
Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis |
Ventricular Assist Device Recipient - Left, Right, or Biventricular |
|
Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome (LNS) |
Walker Warburg Syndrome |
|
Lewy Body Dementia |
WHO Grade III Meningiomas |
|
Liposarcoma - metastatic or recurrent |
Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome |
|
Lissencephaly |
Wolman Disease |
|
LMNA-related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy |
X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Disease |
|
Lowe Syndrome |
X-Linked Myotubular Myopathy |
|
Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis - Grade III |
Xeroderma Pigmentosum |
|
Malignant Brain Stem Gliomas-Childhood |
Zellweger Syndrome |
|
Malignant Ectomesenchymoma |
Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome |
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