The 14 Conditions Added in August 2026
SSA’s DI 23022 TN 104 policy update made 14 new Compassionate Allowances (CAL) conditions effective August 10, 2026. The additions bring the current POMS CAL list to 317 entries.
The newly listed conditions are:
- Aicardi Syndrome
- Baraitser-Winter Syndrome
- Beare-Stevenson Cutis Gyrata Syndrome
- Bohring-Opitz Syndrome
- CASK-Related Gene Disorders
- Hepatosplenic T-Cell Lymphoma
- Lafora Disease
- Malignant Migrating Partial Seizures of Infancy
- OPHN1 Syndrome
- Uveal Melanoma with Metastases
- Warburg Micro Syndrome
- Primary Cardiac Sarcoma
- Primary Intracranial Malignant Melanoma
- Adenylosuccinate Lyase Deficiency—Neonatal Form and Type 1
The wording of each entry matters because a CAL listing may cover a narrower diagnosis than a similarly named disease or disorder. For example, the listed condition is Uveal Melanoma with Metastases, and SSA distinguishes Aicardi Syndrome from Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome.
What Compassionate Allowances Changes—And What It Does Not
SSA describes CAL conditions as conditions that meet its disability standards by definition. The process is designed to flag qualifying claims for expedited identification and adjudication, and it can apply to both Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income claims.
SSA must still confirm that the applicant has the listed condition. That generally requires medical records and diagnostic evidence such as physician reports, imaging, genetic testing, pathology findings, or other records identified for the condition.
CAL also does not replace the underlying disability rules. For an adult seeking SSDI, disability generally means being unable to engage in substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable impairment that is expected to result in death or last for at least 12 continuous months.
A faster medical decision is not necessarily the same as faster payment. SSDI and SSI have different payment-timing rules, and an expedited determination does not erase an otherwise applicable waiting period.
Average Social Security Disability Processing Times in FY 2025
View Data
| Label | Average processing time |
|---|---|
| Initial disability claims | 226 days |
| Disability reconsiderations | 241 days |
| Hearing decisions | 284 days |
SSA reported average processing times exceeding seven months at each of these ordinary disability-claim stages in FY 2025; these systemwide figures are not CAL processing-time guarantees.
How to Prepare a CAL Claim
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Identify the Precise Diagnosis
Compare the diagnosis in the medical records with the exact wording of the CAL condition. Do not assume a similarly named condition is included.
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Provide Treating-Source Information
Give SSA current contact information for the physicians, hospitals, clinics, and specialists who diagnosed or treated the condition.
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Collect the Relevant Diagnostic Evidence
Depending on the condition, useful evidence may include specialist reports, imaging, genetic testing, pathology reports, laboratory results, or hospital records.
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Respond Promptly to Record Requests
Watch for communications from SSA and provide requested information as soon as possible so missing records do not unnecessarily hold up the claim.
Why Expedited Review Matters
Compassionate Allowances is an expedited process for identifying and adjudicating disability claims involving listed conditions. It applies to both SSDI and SSI claims, but it is not a separate benefit or an automatic approval. Applicants still need to file a claim and provide the medical evidence needed for an accurate determination.
That can matter in a disability system where ordinary claims can take substantial time. For fiscal year 2025, SSA reported average processing times of 226 days for initial disability claims, 241 days for disability reconsiderations, and 284 days for hearing decisions.
SSA also reported that its initial disability-claim backlog declined from nearly 1.3 million cases in 2024 to approximately 853,000 by June 2026. Those figures describe the disability system as a whole. They are not estimates or guarantees for an individual CAL claim, which may move on a different timeline depending on the available evidence and other circumstances.
How SSDI and SSI Payment Timing Differ
| Issue | SSDI | SSI |
|---|---|---|
CAL Availability |
CAL can expedite the identification and adjudication of a qualifying SSDI claim. |
CAL can expedite the identification and adjudication of a qualifying SSI claim. |
Five-Month Waiting Period |
SSDI generally has a five-full-month waiting period after disability onset, subject to regulatory exceptions. |
SSI does not have a comparable five-month waiting period. |
Potential Payment Timing |
A fast medical decision does not eliminate an applicable SSDI waiting period. |
Payment may be possible as early as the first full month after application or eligibility. Some applicants may also qualify for presumptive-disability payments while SSA completes its determination. |
What CAL Changes |
The speed of identifying and adjudicating the qualifying medical claim. |
The speed of identifying and adjudicating the qualifying medical claim. |
Compassionate Allowances FAQ
Does a Compassionate Allowances diagnosis guarantee approval?
No. The applicant must file a claim and provide evidence establishing the exact listed condition. CAL expedites the identification and adjudication process, but SSA still must make a determination based on the claim and supporting records.
Does Compassionate Allowances apply to both SSDI and SSI?
Yes. SSA uses the CAL process for qualifying claims under both Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income.
How quickly will SSA decide a CAL claim?
There is no fixed processing time supported by the available agency materials. CAL is intended to expedite qualifying claims, but timing can still depend on whether SSA promptly receives sufficient medical evidence. Systemwide processing averages are not CAL timelines.
Will benefits begin immediately after a favorable decision?
Not necessarily. SSDI generally has a five-full-month waiting period after disability onset, subject to exceptions. SSI does not have the same waiting period and may permit payment as early as the first full month after application or eligibility.
What if my condition has a name similar to a CAL listing?
Do not assume that the listing applies. Review the exact condition name and the evidence SSA identifies for it. A treating provider’s records should clearly establish the precise diagnosis.