# Stop the Wait Act of 2022: Plain Language Summary

Right now, people who qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) have to wait five months after they're approved before they can actually start receiving their monthly payments. This bill would eliminate that waiting period, meaning disabled people could get their benefits immediately once they're approved. The change would happen gradually—starting in 2022, the waiting period would shrink from five months to three months, then two months, then one month, until it disappears completely on January 1, 2027.

This matters because people with disabilities often face financial hardship while waiting for benefits to start. That five-month gap can force them to deplete savings, go into debt, or struggle to pay for basic needs like food and housing. By speeding up when benefits begin, this bill would help people get the financial support they need right when they need it most.

The bill also addresses Medicare coverage for disabled people during that waiting period. Currently, disabled people have to wait 24 months after becoming eligible for SSDI before they can get Medicare. This bill would allow certain disabled people without health insurance to get Medicare much sooner—starting from their first month of disability benefits instead of waiting two years. This is particularly important for people who can't afford private insurance and would otherwise go without medical coverage while waiting for Medicare to kick in.

Stop the Wait Act of 2022

Doggett, Lloyd

Stop the Wait Act of 2022 This bill allows individuals with disabilities to begin receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in the month they become eligible for the benefits. It also allows these individuals to immediately enroll in Medicare if they cannot afford minimum essential coverage. (Under current law, an individual must generally wait 5 months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.)