Lee Bill Cuts Through Red Tape for Terminally Ill Americans

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today allowing Americans who are unable to work due to a terminal illness to bypass the typical 5-month waiting period prior to receiving disability benefits. The Immediate Access for the Terminal Ill Act will ensure that terminally ill disabled workers can actually use the benefits they need for end-of-life care. Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) introduced the House version of this bill.

"The current 5-month waiting period for disability benefits keeps terminally ill American workers from actually being able to use them in time," said Senator Mike Lee. "Americans suffering from debilitating, life-threatening conditions need a better solution. The Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act will give workers a pathway to bypass the burdensome waiting period and receive the help they need for end-of-life care in a timely manner."

"No one diagnosed with a terminal illness should spend their final months tangled in government red tape," said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. "At life's most difficult moments, families deserve compassion, certainty, and peace of mind. This legislation ensures timely access to earned benefits while remaining fiscally responsible, and I'm proud to work with Senator Mike Lee to make it law."

The bill is endorsed by the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives and Patients Rising.

"We applaud Senator Lee and Representative Harshbarger for their leadership on this important legislation," said David Camp, Senior Policy Advisor for the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR). "NOSSCR supports all efforts to eliminate or limit the 5-month exclusion period, but this is especially critical for the most vulnerable Americans who suffer from fatal diseases with no known cure and short life expectancies. Because many Social Security claimants die, lose savings or homes, and suffer as they wait for 5 months for their earned disability benefits." - David Camp, Senior Policy Advisor, National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives

"For patients facing a terminal illness, time is a luxury they do not have. A five-month wait period for disability benefits is a bureaucratic cruelty. We applaud Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger and Senator Mike Lee for standing up for the most vulnerable with the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act. This compassionate legislation empowers patients with the choice to access their earned benefits immediately, providing essential financial dignity and relief from the costs of end-of-life care when families need it most." - Terry Wilcox, CEO, Patients Rising

The Immediate Access for the Terminal Ill Act:

• Gives eligible disabled Americans the choice to immediately access their SSDI cash benefits in exchange for a seven percent reduction OR wait the five-month period and receive the normal full benefit.
• Requires any future additions to the CAL to be recommended by the SSA and approved by Congress.
• Increases the overpayment collection threshold for Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OSADI) from $10 to 10 percent.
• Eliminates an individual's ability to simultaneously access both SSDI benefits and unemployment benefits.
• Saves the federal government $5.6 billion over the next ten years.