A couple of weeks ago Social Security announced that a dozen more severe conditions had been added to the list of those already allowed under their own Compassionate Allowances Program.

The program was designed to speed up the SSDI and SSI application process by recognizing that individuals with certain conditions and illnesses undeniably meet the criteria for someone with a disability. An applicant need only provide a doctor’s confirmation of the condition for the Disability Determination Services (DDS) to establish disability. Of course, each applicant still has to meet all the other criteria for benefits, be it immigration status, acquisition of ‘insured’ status for those applying for SSDI, or minimal income and resources for those applying for SSI.

The newcomers to the program, joining such conditions of ill-repute like ALS (aka Motor Neurone Disease, aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease), include Taybi-Linder Syndrome, Desmoplastic Mesothelioma and ARSACS. One hopes that few of us ever have to learn what those actually are.

For the full list and to read the press release you can go here: Press Release | Press Office | SSA