Expedited Disability Insurance Payments for Terminally Ill Individuals Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4255
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-26: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-09T02:08:22Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill aims to expedite Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness by providing phased-in payments during the standard five-month waiting period, while including mechanisms to adjust benefits later and prevent overuse.
Key Provisions
- Eligibility for Expedited Benefits:
- Applies to individuals with a terminal illness (defined as in Medicare hospice rules: a condition expected to result in death within six months).
- Requires certification by at least two unrelated physicians (not family-related and not in the same practice group).
- Phased Payment Schedule (as a percentage of the full SSDI benefit amount):
| Period | Payment Level | |--------|---------------| | First month | 50% | | Second month | 75% | | After 12 consecutive months | Full amount minus (total of first five months' benefits ÷ 12) | | After 24 consecutive months | 95% of full amount |
- Reporting Requirements:
- Annual report from the Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner and Inspector General to Congress, covering applicant numbers, benefit recipients, mortality data, costs, and fraud prevention recommendations.
- One-time report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) within two years, evaluating the program and suggesting improvements.
- Effective Date: Applies to benefits for months beginning after December 31, 2026.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 223 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 423), which currently imposes a five-month waiting period before SSDI benefits begin.
- Eliminates the waiting period for terminally ill individuals but introduces phased payments and later reductions to offset early payouts, unlike the current all-or-nothing delay.
- Adds a new certification process using the Medicare terminal illness definition.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Terminally ill SSDI applicants gain quicker partial access to benefits, easing financial strain during critical illness, though long-term survivors face temporary reductions.
- On Government Agencies: Increases SSA administrative workload (certifications, payments, tracking) and short-term costs; reports aim to monitor and control fraud, waste, or abuse.
- No direct impact on international relations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Terminally ill individuals seeking SSDI.
- Physicians providing certifications.
- Social Security Administration (handles payments, reports).
- Congress (receives oversight reports).
- Taxpayers (via program costs).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens fraud safeguards through dual-physician certification and mandatory reporting, reducing risks of improper claims.
- Constitutional: No apparent issues; aligns with Congress's authority over Social Security programs.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (introduced by Sens. Barrasso, Hassan, others); balances compassion for the dying with fiscal responsibility via phased/recoupment structure. Referred to Senate Finance Committee for review.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH], Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-26: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2026-03-26: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Expedited Disability Insurance Payments for Terminally Ill Individuals Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-26 — PDF (7 pages)