I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4386 
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the Medicare 
and disability insurance benefits waiting periods for disabled individuals. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 
Mr. DOGGETT (for himself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. JUDY 
CHU of California, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. 
DEAN, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. EVANS, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. GOMEZ, 
Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. LARSON 
of Connecticut, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. MOORE, Mr. 
MOULTON, Mr. NADLER, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mr. 
PASCRELL, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. 
RASKIN, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, 
Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. THOMPSON of California, and 
Mr. TRONE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy 
and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate 
the Medicare and disability insurance benefits waiting 
periods for disabled individuals. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop the Wait Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF DISABILITY WAITING PERIOD FOR 
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE 
BENEFITS AND SURVIVING SPOUSE BENE-
FITS. 
(a) ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR DIS-
ABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS.—Section 223 of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 423) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter fol-
lowing subparagraph (E)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘disability insurance 
benefit (i) for each month’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘, or (ii)’’ and inserting 
‘‘disability insurance benefit’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘, but only if’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘under such dis-
ability’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘as 
though he had attained age 62 in—’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘such disability insurance 
benefits,’’ and inserting ‘‘as though the indi-
vidual had attained age 62 in the first month 
for which the individual becomes entitled to 
such disability insurance benefits,’’; and 
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(2) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (2). 
(b) ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR SUR-
VIVING SPOUSE AND SURVIVING DIVORCED SPOUSE BEN-
EFITS.—Section 202 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
402) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter fol-
lowing subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘begin-
ning with—’’ and all that follows through ‘‘on 
such basis terminated,’’ and inserting ‘‘begin-
ning with the first month in which she becomes 
so entitled to such insurance benefits’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (5); and 
(C) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(6) 
through (8) as paragraphs (5) through (7); and 
(2) in subsection (f)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter fol-
lowing subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘begin-
ning with—’’ and all that follows through ‘‘on 
such basis terminated,’’ and inserting ‘‘begin-
ning with the first month in which he becomes 
so entitled to such insurance benefits’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (5); and 
(C) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(6) 
through (8) as paragraphs (5) through (7). 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to applications for dis-
ability insurance benefits, widow’s insurance benefits, and 
widower’s insurance benefits filed on or after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. PHASE-OUT OF WAITING PERIOD FOR MEDICARE 
DISABILITY BENEFITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 226(b) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 426(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘, and has 
for 24 calendar months been entitled to,’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘, and for not less than the waiting period (as 
defined in subsection (j)) has been entitled to,’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ‘‘and has 
been for not less than 24 months,’’ and inserting 
‘‘and for not less than the waiting period (as defined 
in subsection (j)) has been entitled to,’’; 
(3) in paragraph (2)(C)(ii), by striking ‘‘, in-
cluding the requirement that he has been entitled to 
the specified benefits for 24 months,’’ and inserting 
‘‘, including the requirement that the individual has 
been entitled to the specified benefits for the waiting 
period (as defined in subsection (j)),’’; and 
(4) in the flush matter following paragraph 
(2)(C)(ii)(II)— 
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(A) 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 enti-
tlement or status as a qualified railroad retire-
ment beneficiary described in paragraph (2), 
and’’ and inserting ‘‘for each month beginning 
with the first month after the month in which 
the individual first satisfies paragraph (2), 
and’’; 
(B) in the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘the ‘twenty-fifth month of his entitlement’ re-
fers to the first month after the twenty-fourth 
month of entitlement to specified benefits re-
ferred to in paragraph (2)(C) and’’; and 
(C) in the third sentence, by striking ‘‘, 
but not in excess of 78 such months’’. 
(b) SCHEDULE FOR PHASE-OUT OF WAITING PE-
RIOD.—Section 226 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
426) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(j) For purposes of subsection (b) (and for purposes 
of section 1837(g)(1) of this Act and section 7(d)(2)(ii) 
of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974), the term ‘waiting 
period’ means, with respect to an individual who first be-
comes entitled to benefits described in subparagraph (A) 
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of subsection (b)(2), first achieves the status described in 
subparagraph (B) of such subsection, or first becomes en-
titled to specified benefits referred to in subparagraph (C) 
of such subsection in a month in— 
‘‘(1) for calendar year 2020, 18 months; 
‘‘(2) for calendar year 2021, 16 months; 
‘‘(3) for calendar year 2022, 14 months; 
‘‘(4) for calendar year 2023, 12 months; 
‘‘(5) for calendar year 2024, 10 months; 
‘‘(6) for calendar year 2025, 8 months; 
‘‘(7) for calendar year 2026, 6 months; 
‘‘(8) for calendar year 2027, 4 months; 
‘‘(9) for calendar year 2028, 2 months; and 
‘‘(10) for calendar year 2029 and each subse-
quent year, 0 months.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) MONTHS THAT COUNT TOWARDS WAITING 
PERIOD.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 226(f) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 426(f)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘24 months’’ and inserting 
‘‘waiting period’’. 
(B) SUNSET.—Effective January 1, 2029, 
subsection (f) of section 226 of the Social Secu-
rity Act (426) is repealed. 
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(2) ELIMINATION OF 1-MONTH WAITING PERIOD 
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ALS.—Section 226(h)(1) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 426(h)(1)) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘(or, beginning January 1, 
2029, 0 months)’’ after ‘‘1 month’’. 
(3) MEDICARE DESCRIPTION.—Section 1811(2) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c(2)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘entitled for not less than 24 months’’ and 
inserting ‘‘entitled for not less than the waiting pe-
riod (as defined in section 226(j))’’. 
(4) MEDICARE COVERAGE.—Section 1837(g)(1) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395p(g)(1)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘of the later of (A) April 1973 or (B) the 
third month before the 25th month of such entitle-
ment’’ and inserting ‘‘of the third month before the 
first month following the waiting period (as defined 
in section 226(j)) applicable under section 226(b)’’. 
(5) RAILROAD RETIREMENT SYSTEM.—Section 
7(d)(2)(ii) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 
(45 U.S.C. 231f(d)(2)(ii)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘, for not less than 24 
months’’ and inserting ‘‘, for the waiting period 
(as defined in section 226(j) of the Social Secu-
rity Act)’’; and 
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(B) by striking ‘‘could have been entitled 
for 24 calendar months, and’’ and inserting 
‘‘could have been entitled for the waiting period 
(as defined in section 226(j) of the Social Secu-
rity Act), and’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as provided in sub-
section (c)(1)(B), the amendments made by this section 
shall apply to insurance benefits under title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act with respect to items and services fur-
nished in months beginning at least 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act (but in no case earlier than 
January 1, 2020). 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE STUDY AND RE-
PORT ON DELAY AND PREVENTION OF DIS-
ABILITY CONDITIONS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 
shall request that the National Academy of Medicine con-
duct a study on the range of disability conditions that can 
be delayed or prevented if individuals receive access to 
health care services and coverage before the condition 
reaches disability levels. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than the date that is 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report containing the results of the 
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National Academy of Medicine study authorized under 
this section. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$750,000 for the period of fiscal years 2020 and 2021. 
Æ 
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