A newly introduced House bill could let some Americans receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) access benefits months earlier than current law allows. The legislation, the We Can't Wait Act of 2026, was introduced on Monday by Republican Representative Carol Miller and follows a bipartisan Senate version introduced earlier this year by Senators Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, and Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat. President, that you have worked for many years, and you find that you have contracted a disease that is fatal, and that you have very little time to live,” Collins said on the Senate floor in February.
But because of the five-month waiting period, there are individuals who receive no payments at all. During those five months, no payments are made, even though the disability has been confirmed by the Social Security Administration.” If enacted, the bill would allow eligible SSDI recipients to begin collecting disability payments during that current five-month waiting period. In exchange, they would accept a modest permanent reduction in their monthly benefit amount to keep the program cost-neutral over the long term.
For Americans who become disabled and can no longer work, the period between being approved for SSDI and actually receiving benefits can be financially devastating. Current law generally requires beneficiaries to wait five months after being found eligible before payments begin. During that time, many applicants have little or no income while still facing medical bills and housing costs.
People diagnosed with terminal illnesses or severe disabilities often need cash assistance immediately. A 2020 Government Accountability Office report cited by sponsors found that about 48,000 people filed for bankruptcy while awaiting disability appeal decisions between FY2014 and FY2019. An estimated 109,725 people died before receiving a final decision on disability appeals between FY2008 and FY2019.
The We Can't Wait Act of 2026 would allow eligible SSDI recipients to begin receiving benefits during the program's current five-month waiting period instead of waiting months for their first check. Miller introduced the proposal in the House on Monday, along with several bipartisan cosponsors, including Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene of Washington and Susie Lee of Nevada. Under current law, workers who are approved for SSDI generally must wait five months before their monthly benefit payments begin, even after the Social Security Administration determines they qualify for benefits.
That delay can create severe financial hardships for disabled Americans who have already lost their ability to work, lawmakers say. The legislation would effectively create an optional alternative. Individuals could elect to receive benefits immediately after approval, but in exchange would accept a small permanent reduction in their monthly SSDI payment.
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