Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act

Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act

This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with metastatic breast cancer (i.e., breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body).

Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer. Under current law, individuals generally must wait 5 months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 663 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 663

 To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the waiting 
  periods for disability insurance benefits and Medicare coverage for 
   individuals with metastatic breast cancer, and for other purposes.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 6, 2023

 Mr. Murphy (for himself and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

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                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the waiting 
  periods for disability insurance benefits and Medicare coverage for 
   individuals with metastatic breast cancer, 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 ``Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to 
Care Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH METASTATIC 
              BREAST CANCER.

    (a) In General.--Section 223(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 423(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), in the matter following subparagraph 
        (E), by inserting ``or metastatic breast cancer'' after 
        ``amyotrophic lateral sclerosis''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``or (iii)'' after 
        ``clause (ii)''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to applications for disability insurance benefits 
filed after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. WAIVER OF 24-MONTH WAITING PERIOD FOR MEDICARE COVERAGE OF 
              INDIVIDUALS WITH METASTATIC BREAST CANCER.

    (a) In General.--Section 226(h) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 426(h)) is amended by inserting ``or metastatic breast cancer'' 
after ``amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to benefits for months beginning after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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