To amend the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period in the disability insurance program, and for other purposes.

June 10, 2003

Mr. DEAL of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

To amend the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period in the disability insurance program, and for other purposes.

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 `Social Security Act Improvements for the Terminally Ill Act' .

SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF TITLE II WAITING PERIOD FOR TERMINALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS.

Section 223(a) of the Social Security Act is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting `he meets the requirements of paragraph (3), or' after `but only if'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(3)(A) For purposes of paragraph (1), an individual meets the requirements of this paragraph if--

`(i) the impairment underlying a finding that the individual is under a disability results in his death prior to the end of the applicable period described in subparagraph (B), or

`(ii)(I) in the case where such finding is made before the end of the applicable period, the Commissioner determines that, at the time such finding is made, such impairment is expected to result in the individual's death prior to the end of such period, or

`(II) in the case where such finding is made after the end of the applicable period, the Commissioner determines that, at any time during such period, such impairment was expected to result in the individual's death prior to the end of such period.

`(B) For the purposes of subparagraph (A), the `applicable period' is the period of the first six consecutive calendar months throughout which such individual is under a disability by reason of such impairment which begins not earlier than the first day of the period described in subsection (c)(2)(B).'.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

The amendments made by this Act shall take effect with respect to applications filed after the date of the enactment of this Act.

END