Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act

1/13/2025, 8:25 PM

Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act

This bill permits Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries with specified terminal illnesses to elect expedited payment of benefits in exchange for a reduction in the amount of their monthly benefit. 

Specifically, the bill requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to establish a list of medical conditions that qualify an individual for expedited payment. These conditions must have no known cure, must involve a life expectancy of five years or less, and must be present on the most recent Compassionate Allowances list (a list of medical conditions that, by definition, meet the standards for SSDI benefits). The bill directs SSA to update the list every five years. Congress must approve each medical condition added to the list. 

Under the bill, individuals diagnosed with a specified terminal condition may elect to receive SSDI benefits beginning the month after the onset of disability. Under current law, individuals generally must wait five months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits. Individuals who opt to receive expedited payment must accept a 7% reduction in monthly benefits. 

Separately, the bill prohibits individuals receiving unemployment benefits from simultaneously receiving SSDI benefits. The bill also permits SSA to collect less than 100% of an overpaid Social Security beneficiary’s monthly benefit, so long as the collection amount is not less than 10% of their monthly benefit.

Bill 118 hr 6427, also known as the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The purpose of this bill is to provide terminally ill patients with immediate access to experimental treatments that have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Under the provisions of the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act, terminally ill patients would be able to request access to experimental treatments directly from drug manufacturers, bypassing the traditional FDA approval process. This would allow patients to try potentially life-saving treatments that may not be available through other channels.

Supporters of the bill argue that it is a matter of compassion and individual freedom, allowing terminally ill patients to make their own decisions about their treatment options. They believe that the FDA approval process can be slow and bureaucratic, and that patients should not have to wait for potentially life-saving treatments. Opponents of the bill, however, raise concerns about patient safety and the potential for exploitation by unscrupulous drug manufacturers. They argue that the FDA approval process is in place for a reason, to ensure that treatments are safe and effective before they are made available to the public. They worry that bypassing this process could put patients at risk. Overall, the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act is a controversial piece of legislation that raises important questions about the balance between patient autonomy and public safety. It remains to be seen whether the bill will ultimately be passed into law.
Congress
118
Number
HR - 6427
Introduced on
2023-11-15
# Amendments
0
Sponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

11/15/2023
Text
PDF
XML

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act

This bill permits Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries with specified terminal illnesses to elect expedited payment of benefits in exchange for a reduction in the amount of their monthly benefit. 

Specifically, the bill requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to establish a list of medical conditions that qualify an individual for expedited payment. These conditions must have no known cure, must involve a life expectancy of five years or less, and must be present on the most recent Compassionate Allowances list (a list of medical conditions that, by definition, meet the standards for SSDI benefits). The bill directs SSA to update the list every five years. Congress must approve each medical condition added to the list. 

Under the bill, individuals diagnosed with a specified terminal condition may elect to receive SSDI benefits beginning the month after the onset of disability. Under current law, individuals generally must wait five months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits. Individuals who opt to receive expedited payment must accept a 7% reduction in monthly benefits. 

Separately, the bill prohibits individuals receiving unemployment benefits from simultaneously receiving SSDI benefits. The bill also permits SSA to collect less than 100% of an overpaid Social Security beneficiary’s monthly benefit, so long as the collection amount is not less than 10% of their monthly benefit.

Bill 118 hr 6427, also known as the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The purpose of this bill is to provide terminally ill patients with immediate access to experimental treatments that have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Under the provisions of the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act, terminally ill patients would be able to request access to experimental treatments directly from drug manufacturers, bypassing the traditional FDA approval process. This would allow patients to try potentially life-saving treatments that may not be available through other channels.

Supporters of the bill argue that it is a matter of compassion and individual freedom, allowing terminally ill patients to make their own decisions about their treatment options. They believe that the FDA approval process can be slow and bureaucratic, and that patients should not have to wait for potentially life-saving treatments. Opponents of the bill, however, raise concerns about patient safety and the potential for exploitation by unscrupulous drug manufacturers. They argue that the FDA approval process is in place for a reason, to ensure that treatments are safe and effective before they are made available to the public. They worry that bypassing this process could put patients at risk. Overall, the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act is a controversial piece of legislation that raises important questions about the balance between patient autonomy and public safety. It remains to be seen whether the bill will ultimately be passed into law.
Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo amend title II of the Social Security Act to allow disabled individuals with incurable terminal illnesses listed on the Compassionate Allowance list to receive disability insurance benefits without a waiting period, to prohibit concurrent receipt of disability insurance benefits and unemployment insurance, and for other purposes.
Policy Areas
Social Welfare

Comments

Related

Committee:  Ways and Means
Bill Update Alert:  Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act

Recent Activity

Latest Summary1/13/2025

Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act

This bill permits Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries with specified terminal illnesses to elect expedited payment of benefits in exchange for a reduction in ...

Latest Action12/17/2024
Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.