Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act
- Bill Number
- S. 3442
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Social Welfare
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-13T11:03:32Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act aims to provide faster access to disability insurance benefits and Medicare coverage for individuals diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer by removing mandatory waiting periods that currently delay these supports. This legislation treats metastatic breast cancer similarly to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease, in terms of eligibility timelines.
Key Provisions
- Elimination of Waiting Period for Disability Insurance Benefits: Amends Section 223(a) of the Social Security Act to exempt individuals with metastatic breast cancer from the standard five-month waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. SSDI provides monthly payments to those unable to work due to a severe disability.
- Waiver of Medicare Waiting Period: Amends Section 226(h) of the Social Security Act to waive the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage (which provides health insurance for people with disabilities) for those with metastatic breast cancer.
- Effective Dates:
- SSDI changes apply to applications filed after the date of enactment.
- Medicare changes apply to benefits for months beginning after the date of enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Under current law, SSDI benefits have a five-month waiting period after the onset of disability, and Medicare eligibility for SSDI recipients requires an additional 24-month wait.
- This bill introduces metastatic breast cancer (stage IV breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body) as a specific exemption, mirroring the existing ALS exemption, which allows immediate access without these delays.
- No changes to overall eligibility criteria for SSDI or Medicare; the focus is solely on accelerating timelines for this condition.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Individuals with metastatic breast cancer could receive financial support and healthcare coverage sooner, potentially reducing out-of-pocket costs, improving quality of life, and allowing earlier access to treatments like chemotherapy or palliative care. This may ease financial strain on patients and families during a critical health crisis.
- On Government Agencies: The Social Security Administration (SSA) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would need to update processing systems and guidelines to handle expedited claims, possibly increasing short-term administrative workload but streamlining long-term case management.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as this is a domestic social welfare policy focused on U.S. residents.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary Beneficiaries: People diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, particularly those in the workforce or nearing retirement who rely on SSDI and Medicare.
- Families and Caregivers: Indirectly supported through reduced financial burdens on affected individuals.
- Healthcare Providers: Hospitals, doctors, and oncology specialists who may see faster insurance approvals, enabling timelier interventions.
- Government Entities: SSA for benefit administration and CMS for Medicare enrollment and payments.
- Advocacy Groups: Organizations like the American Cancer Society or breast cancer foundations that pushed for such reforms.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the social safety net under the Social Security Act by expanding targeted exceptions, ensuring equal treatment for severe conditions like metastatic breast cancer without broadening eligibility universally. This could set a precedent for future exemptions for other life-limiting diseases.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority to regulate social welfare programs (under the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution), with no apparent conflicts to equal protection or due process principles.
- Political: Represents a bipartisan effort (introduced by Senators Murphy and Murkowski) to address health equity in cancer care, potentially influencing future debates on disability benefits amid rising healthcare costs. It may increase federal spending on SSDI and Medicare by an estimated amount for this population, though the targeted scope limits broader fiscal strain.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Cosponsors (7)
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV], Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD], Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2025-12-11: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act — issued 2025-12-11 — PDF (2 pages)