Stop the Wait Act of 2025

The "Stop the Wait Act of 2025" proposes significant amendments to titles II and XVIII of the Social Security Act, primarily focusing on reducing delays for individuals with disabilities. Its core purpose is to eliminate the existing waiting periods for both disability insurance benefits and Medicare eligibility , ensuring quicker access to essential support for those approved for disability. Specifically, the legislation amends Section 223 of the Social Security Act to remove the five-month waiting period before an individual can begin receiving disability insurance benefits. This full elimination is set to take effect on January 1, 2030 , applying to applications filed on or after January 1, 2029. For applications filed between 2025 and 2029, a phase-down approach will gradually reduce the waiting period, starting with three months in 2025-2027, then two months in 2028, and one month in 2029. Furthermore, the bill addresses the Medicare eligibility waiting period , which typically requires 24 months of disability benefit entitlement. It introduces a new provision allowing certain eligible individuals to bypass this 24-month waiting period for Medicare. An eligible individual is defined as someone under 65, entitled to disability benefits, and meeting specific criteria related to minimum essential coverage and affordability, ensuring they can access Medicare benefits without extended delays and with retroactive entitlement to the first month of disability.