Stop the Wait Act of 2025
Stop the Wait Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Stop the Wait Act of 2025 - Summary **What it does:** This bill would speed up access to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Medicare for disabled people. Currently, people with disabilities must wait five months after becoming disabled to receive SSDI benefits, and disabled individuals under 65 must wait 24 months after qualifying for SSDI before they can enroll in Medicare.
The bill would gradually eliminate the five-month SSDI waiting period by 2030 and remove the 24-month Medicare waiting period for disabled workers and their families—particularly those whose medical insurance costs would be a significant burden on their household income. **Who it affects:** People with disabilities who need financial assistance and health coverage, including disabled workers, children of disabled workers, and widows/widowers receiving disability benefits. The changes would particularly help lower-income disabled individuals get health insurance sooner. **Current status:** The bill (HR 930) was introduced in the 119th Congress by Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Stop the Wait Act of 2025This bill phases out the initial waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eliminates the waiting period for certain disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare. Under current law, individuals generally must wait five months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits. The bill would gradually reduce this waiting period before eliminating it entirely in the year 2030. Further, the bill would eliminate the 24-month waiting period for certain disabled workers and other individuals to become eligible for Medicare. Under current law, individuals under the age of 65 may generally enroll in Medicare after they have been eligible for SSDI or Social Security child’s, widow’s, or widower’s benefits by reason of disability for 24 months. The bill would eliminate this waiting period for individuals for whom the annual cost of certain medical insurance would exceed a specified percentage of their household income (i.e., those who cannot afford minimum essential coverage). Medicare eligibility for these individuals must be available retroactively to the first month that an individual qualified for SSDI or Social Security child’s, widow’s, or widower’s benefits by reason of disability.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.