U.S. Representative Lloyd Dogget (D-TX), co-sponsor of the bill noted, “There is no justification for these delays, which deny millions of Americans access to health care and other support when it is needed most. Restrictions designed to cut costs simply shift costs onto patients when they are most vulnerable. Ending these egregious suffering periods is all the more urgent as more Americans experience Long COVID— a condition that represents the largest new entrant to the disability community in modern history.”

U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-sponsor, said “Social Security and Medicare benefits are crucial for many Americans with disabilities and those waiting for critical care, and those programs must be widely accessible without waiting periods. The waiting period for those who suffer from disabilities to access the benefits they have earned is arbitrary and unnecessary, and I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation to get rid of these delays.