Law Aims To Cut SSD Wait Times For Terminally Ill

July 22, 2013

One of the most significant problems the Social Security Disability system faces today is the long waits. A large majority of these individuals are extremely ill and many never survive long enough for an outcome to be reached in their claim.

In an effort to help correct this issue, two senators from Wyoming and another from Ohio introduced a bill they are sponsoring that would slash the amount of time it takes to process a Social Security Disability Claim for a terminally ill patient.

The Expedited Disability Insurance Payments for Terminally Ill Individuals Act of 2013 would require that two different doctors in the same field, working for separate practices, diagnose a terminally ill individual’s condition. Then, the patient would begin immediately receiving partial benefit payments.

According to the Billings Gazette, during the first month, the patient would receive 50 percent of a full benefit payment and would receive a 75 percent payment during the second month. Months three through 12, the individual would receive full benefits.

The Social Security Administration would be required to track the payments and report how many recipients survived past the six and 12-month marks of receiving benefits.

The Social Security Disability Attorneys with Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin applaud the reforms and are hopeful the reforms will be approved during the next legislative session.