[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 257]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          ELIMINATING THE 24-MONTH WAITING PERIOD FOR MEDICARE

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                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 7, 2003

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, more than 56 million Americans 
currently live with some kind of disability. These disabilities include 
blindness, paralysis, mental illness, hearing loss, physical ailments, 
and a host of other conditions.
  The federal government has recognized the unique challenges faced by 
these Americans by allowing qualified disabled individuals to receive 
health insurance under the Medicare program. Unfortunately, the law 
includes a 24 month waiting period before disabled individuals can 
qualify for coverage.
  This waiting period poses a serious problem for many newly disabled 
Americans. Faced with the loss of their employment due to their 
disability, their situation is only made worse because they cannot 
access the health care services they need. The Medicare program was 
designed to help people in need--not make their situations worse by 
denying them necessary health care.
  That is why I am introducing legislation to eliminate the 24-month 
waiting period under the Medicare program. This legislation would allow 
individuals to enroll in Medicare immediately upon their disability 
determination. This is a necessary change in the law which will help 
countless Americans access the health care they need upon becoming 
disabled.

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