Senate Passes Bill Cosponsored by Sens. Collins, King to Increase Disability Insurance Access for Individuals With ALS

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release:

The U.S. Senate passed the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act by a vote of 96 to 1. This bipartisan legislation would eliminate the five-month waiting period before ALS patients can receive the Social Security Disability Insurance benefits they earned by contributing into Social Security. This legislation, cosponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME), would build on previous steps by Congress and the Social Security Administration to accommodate the difficult prognosis for those diagnosed with ALS. The bipartisan bill now awaits consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Americans living with ALS, as well as the family members that care for them, should not have to wait to access important benefits that can help mitigate the financial burden that often accompanies this heartbreaking disease," said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. "This bipartisan legislation would help to ensure that those with ALS have the immediate support they need, and we are pleased that it is one step closer to becoming law. "

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease affecting the ability of the brain to control muscle movements. Individuals with ALS progressively lose the ability to speak, walk, and breathe. The intended purpose of a five-month waiting period is to allow temporary conditions to reverse. However, there is currently no cure or treatment to halt or undo the effects of ALS, and some ALS patients lose their fight with the disease before ever receiving benefits. The ALS Disability Insurance Access Act would help alleviate some of the financial hardship that accompanies an ALS diagnosis and support those living with ALS and their families.

The ALS Disability Insurance Access Act is cosponsored by 67 Senators, and the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives is cosponsored by 302 members.