To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits.

January 7, 2003

Mr. GREEN of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 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 consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Medicare Disability Eligibility Improvement Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR MEDICARE DISABILITY BENEFITS.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 226(b) of the Social Security 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,';

(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 the individual satisfies paragraph (2), beginning with the first month in which the individual satisfies such paragraph, and';

(5) in the second sentence, by striking `the `twenty-fifth month of his entitlement' ' 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 (42 U.S.C. 426) is amended by striking subsections (f) and (h).

(2) MEDICARE DESCRIPTION- Section 1811(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c(2)) 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 (42 U.S.C. 1395p(g)(1)) 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 (45 U.S.C. 231f(d)(2)(ii)) 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'.

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- 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 furnished in months beginning at least 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

END