Huntington’s Disease Disability Insurance Access Act of 2021

II 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 868 To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period for disability insurance benefits under such title and waive the 24-month waiting period for Medicare eligibility for individuals with Huntington’s disease. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 18, 2021 Mrs. GILLIBRAND (for herself, Mr. CASSIDY, and Mr. KING) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period for disability insurance benefits under such title and waive the 24-month waiting period for Medicare eligibility for individuals with Hun- tington’s disease. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Huntington’s Disease 4 Disability Insurance Access Act of 2021’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:35 Apr 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S868.IS S868 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 868 IS SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF WAITING PERIOD FOR SOCIAL SE- 1 CURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS 2 FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HUNTINGTON’S DIS- 3 EASE. 4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 223(a)(1) of the Social 5 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 423(a)(1)) is amended, in the 6 matter following subparagraph (E), by inserting ‘‘or Hun- 7 tington’s disease’’ after ‘‘amyotrophic lateral sclerosis’’. 8 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 9 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to applications for 10 disability insurance benefits filed after the date of the en- 11 actment of this Act. 12 SEC. 3. WAIVER OF 24-MONTH WAITING PERIOD FOR COV- 13 ERAGE UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM 14 FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HUNTINGTON’S DIS- 15 EASE. 16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 226(h) of the Social Secu- 17 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 426(h)) is amended, in the matter pre- 18 ceding paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or Huntington’s dis- 19 ease (HD)’’ after ‘‘amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)’’. 20 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 21 subsection (a) shall apply to benefits under title XVIII of 22 the Social Security Act with respect to items and services 23 furnished in months beginning after the date of the enact- 24 ment of this Act. 25 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:35 Apr 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S868.IS S868 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS