Social Security Disability Waiting Period Elimination Act of 1993

Summary: Social Security Disability Waiting Period Elimination Act of 1993 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period which is a prerequisite of eligibility for widow's or widower's insurance benefits on the basis of a disability and for disability insurance benefits.  Eliminates the 24-month waiting period required before individuals may become eligible for hospital insurance benefits under part A (Hospital Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Act on the basis of their entitlement to disability benefits under title II of the Act.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Social Security Disability Waiting 
Period Elimination Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF 5-MONTH WAITING PERIOD FOR BENEFITS BASED ON 
              DISABILITY.

    (a) Disability Insurance Benefits.--
            (1) In general.--The first sentence of section 223(a)(1) of 
        the Social Security Act is amended by striking ``(i) for each 
        month'' and all that follows through ``the first month in which 
        he is under such disability'' and inserting the following: 
        ``for each month beginning with the first month during all of 
        which such individual is under a disability and in which such 
        individual becomes so entitled to such insurance benefits''.
            (2) Waiting period eliminated from determination of benefit 
        amount.--
                    (A) In general.--The first sentence of section 
                223(a)(2) of such Act is amended by striking ``in--'' 
                and all that follows through ``and as though'' and 
                inserting the following: ``in the first month for which 
                such individual becomes entitled to such disability 
                insurance benefits, and as though''.
                    (B) Conforming amendment.--The second sentence of 
                section 223(a)(2) of such Act is amended by striking 
                ``subparagraph (A) or (B) of such sentence, as the case 
                may be'' and inserting ``such sentence''.
            (3) Elimination of defined term.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 223(c)(2) of such Act is 
                repealed.
                    (B) Conforming amendments.--
                            (i) The heading of section 223(c) of such 
                        Act is amended to read as follows:

                   ``Definition of Insured Status''.

                            (ii) Section 223(c)(1) of such Act is 
                        amended by striking ``For purposes of 
                        subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, when the 
                        number of quarters'' in the last sentence and 
                        inserting the following:
            ``(2) In applying paragraph (1)(B), when the number of 
        quarters''.
    (b) Widow's Insurance Benefits Based on Disability.--
            (1) In general.--Section 202(e)(1)(F) of such Act is 
        amended to read as follows:
            ``(F) if she satisfies subparagraph (B) by reason of clause 
        (ii) thereof, the first month during all of which she is under 
        a disability and in which she becomes so entitled to such 
        insurance benefits,''.
            (2) Elimination of defined term.--Section 202(e) of such 
        Act is amended--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (5); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and 
                (9) as paragraphs (5), (6), (7), and (8), respectively.
    (c) Widower's Insurance Benefits Based on Disability.--
            (1) In general.--Section 202(f)(1)(F) of such Act is 
        amended to read as follows:
            ``(F) if he satisfies subparagraph (B) by reason of clause 
        (ii) thereof, the first month during all of which he is under a 
        disability and in which he becomes so entitled to such 
        insurance benefits,''.
            (2) Elimination of defined term.--Section 202(f) of such 
        Act is amended--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (6); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (7), (8), and (9) 
                as paragraphs (6), (7), and (8), respectively.

SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR COMMENCEMENT OF PERIODS OF 
              DISABILITY.

    Section 216(i)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act is amended by 
striking ``, but only'' and all that follows and inserting a period.

SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR MEDICARE DISABILITY BENEFITS.

    (a) In General.--Section 226(b) of the Social Security Act is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``, and has for 24 
        calendar months been entitled to,'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``, and has been for 
        not less than 24 months,'';
            (3) in paragraph (2)(C)(ii), by striking ``, including the 
        requirement that he has been entitled to the specified benefits 
        for 24 months,'';
            (4) in the first sentence, by striking ``for each month 
        beginning with the later of (I) July 1973 or (II) the twenty-
        fifth month of his entitlement or status as a qualified 
        railroad retirement beneficiary described in paragraph (2), 
        and'' and inserting ``for each month for which he satisfies 
        paragraph (2), beginning with the first month in which he 
        satisfies such paragraph, and'';
            (5) in the second sentence, by striking ``the ``twenty-
        fifth month'' and all that follows through ``paragraph (2)(C) 
        and''; and
            (6) in the third sentence, by striking ``, but not in 
        excess of 24 such months''.
            (b) Conforming Amendment.--
            (1) Section 226.--Section 226 of the Social Security Act is 
        amended by striking subsection (f).
            (2) Medicare description.--Section 1811(2) of such Act is 
        amended by striking ``have been entitled for not less than 24 
        months'' and inserting ``are entitled''.
            (3) Medicare coverage.--Section 1837(g)(1) of such Act is 
        amended by striking ``25th month'' and inserting ``first 
        month''.
            (4) Railroad retirement system.--Section 7(d)(2)(ii) of the 
        Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``has been entitled to an annuity'' 
                and inserting ``is entitled to an annuity'';
                    (B) by striking ``, for not less than 24 months''; 
                and
                    (C) by striking ``could have been entitled for 24 
                calendar months, and''.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATES.

    (a) Section 2.--The amendments made by subsection (a) of section 2 
of this Act shall apply only with respect to benefits under section 223 
of the Social Security Act, or under section 202 of such Act on the 
basis of the wages and self-employment income of an individual entitled 
to benefits under such section 223, for months after the third month 
following the month in which this Act is enacted. The amendments made 
by subsections (b) and (c) of section 2 of this Act shall apply only 
with respect to benefits based on disability under section 202 (e) or 
(f) of the Social Security Act for months after the third month 
following the month in which this Act is enacted.
    (b) Section 3.--The amendment made by section 3 of this Act shall 
apply only with respect to applications for disability determinations 
filed under title II of the Social Security Act on or after the 90th 
day following the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (c) Section 4.--The amendments made by section 4 shall apply to 
insurance benefits under title XVIII of the Social Security Act with 
respect to items and services furnished in months beginning at least 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.