[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7323-S7324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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                           STOP THE WAIT ACT

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I rise to discuss the dangerous 
practice we have in this country that forces people with disabilities 
to wait for benefits and healthcare coverage. I would first, however, 
like to congratulate my colleague, the senior Senator from Rhode 
Island, for his diligence and persistence in working to eliminate the 
5-month waiting period for those who have amyotrophic lateral 
sclerosis, known as ALS. His perseverance is admirable, and I 
congratulate him for eliminating this misguided policy for people with 
ALS.
  My hope is we can expand this victory to eliminate the waiting 
periods

[[Page S7324]]

for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Medicare coverage 
to all eligible Americans.
  Forcing Americans to wait 5 months to begin cash benefits and then 
another 24 months for Medicare coverage is a dangerous policy. In many 
cases, applicants have little or no income while they are waiting for 
government benefits to begin. We should not be forcing someone with 
stage-4 breast cancer or Huntington's Disease or any of the 
disabilities or diseases that qualify a person for Social Security 
Disability Insurance to wait to receive benefits. Those who have been 
determined eligible are American workers who have paid into the Social 
Security system throughout their lives. We have an obligation to assist 
Americans in their time of need in a timely manner. When a person 
receives a diagnosis, bills do not wait 5 months to be paid, healthcare 
costs are not put on hold for 2 years. Their rent, their utilities, 
their healthcare copayments come due immediately. Therefore, the 
benefits these American workers have paid for through their Social 
Security contributions should be made available to them when they are 
found eligible.
  I would again like to congratulate the senior Senator from Rhode 
Island. His bill is an important step forward for people with ALS and 
for all people eligible for SSDI benefits. Let's use this moment to 
move forward and make comprehensive change to the way we administer 
SSDI benefits to all eligible Americans with disabilities. Every 
eligible applicant continues to have essential expenses and needs the 
cash benefits and healthcare coverage provided by Medicare.
  My bill, S. 2496, the Stop the Wait Act, would eliminate the waiting 
periods for those eligible for SSDI benefits, regardless of diagnosis. 
It would eliminate the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits, and it 
would eliminate the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage. It 
would help keep people from slipping in to poverty and would ensure 
they have healthcare coverage.
  Today, let's celebrate the policy victory and the great work Senator 
Whitehouse has accomplished to improve the lives of Americans with ALS. 
Tomorrow and for the days to come, let's work to secure that victory 
for all Americans who are eligible for SSDI. They cannot wait.

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