The We Can’t Wait Act would allow people with disabilities to bypass the waiting period for SSDI benefits.

Sen. Susan Collins, with Sen. Maggie Hassan, introduced the bipartisan We Can’t Wait Act to allow SSDI claimants to opt to receive benefits immediately upon approval instead of waiting five months, in exchange for a modest, actuarially sound reduction in monthly benefits.

The bill responds to documented hardships caused by the five-month waiting period—difficulty affording medical care and living expenses, bankruptcies, and deaths before final decisions—and builds on the 2020 ALS law that eliminated the wait for that disease.

The SSA Chief Actuary says the proposed reduction preserves actuarial balance over a 75-year period, and the bill makes no other changes to SSDI eligibility, the determination process, or benefit levels for those who choose to wait.

The measure is supported by a broad coalition of disability advocacy organizations and is presented as a compassionate, fiscally responsible reform that Congress should adopt.

Read more about the We Can’t Wait Act on Susan Collins’ website.