[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 191 (Monday, December 4, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S17928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY WAITING PERIOD

 Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to make my 
colleagues aware of a very unfortunate situation involving Social 
Security disability benefits.
  In our law, there is a 6-month waiting period before a Social 
Security disability applicant can receive payments. If a person is 
diagnosed with a deadly disease, and is eligible to receive Social 
Security disability, that person must wait 6 months before the payments 
arrive. This waiting period often comes at a time in a person's life 
when treatment must begin immediately. Many of these people simply 
cannot afford to wait. Far too often, the results of this forced 
waiting period are financial devastation for families.
  One of my Maryland constituents, Mitchell Berman, was stricken by a 
terrible illness which required full-time care in a nursing home. Mr. 
Berman and his wife, Marjorie, were forced to sell nearly everything 
they owned to cover the health care costs. By the time Mr. Berman's 
payments began to arrive, it was too late; they had spent much of their 
life's savings. Mr. Berman's disease was not curable, and I am very 
sorry to say that he has died.
  To honor the memory of her husband, Marjorie Berman has started her 
own crusade to make lawmakers and families aware of the financial 
effect the waiting period can have. I salute Marjorie Berman for her 
courage and her steadfast devotion to her husband.
  Earlier this year, I encouraged the Senate Finance Committee to 
explore this issue. In today's political climate, I know that funding 
for many programs is being cut back and eligibility for some programs 
is being tightened.
  But I encourage my colleagues to take a close look at this issue and 
ask if the Social Security disability waiting period is serving a 
useful Government purpose and responding to the needs of people. I also 
ask my colleagues to listen to the stories of their own constituents 
who have been affected by this waiting period and have not been able to 
get the help when they need it. I think my colleagues will find that 
the waiting period does not serve the needs of people.

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