(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such Act is repealed.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 sub-
paragraph (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 rea-
son 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 be-
comes 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), respec-
tively.
SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR COM-
MENCEMENT 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 Secu-
rity 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 ‘‘, in-
cluding 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 sta-
tus as a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary de-
scribed in paragraph (2), and’’ and inserting ‘‘for
each month for which he satisfies paragraph (2), be-
ginning 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 enti-
tled 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 annu-
ity’’;
(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 sub-
section (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 enti-