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Social Security News
Social Security Disability Reform Bill Waives
Waiting Period for Terminally Ill
Joseph H. Seall Act named for vet who died before
first check came
 June 15, 2007 A bill was introduced in the House
last Thursday to provide a waiver of the five-month waiting period for
Social Security disability benefits for terminally ill individuals. The
legislation is named for Joseph H. Seall of Summit, Mississippi, a
veteran who qualified for Social Security disability benefits, but who,
due to the five-month waiting period, did not receive his first check
until the day after he died.
Congressman Chip Pickering (R-Miss) and Congressman
Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) introduced the Joseph H. Seall Act of 2007 (HR
2713).
Currently there is no provision that allows a
Social Security disability case, no matter how qualified and necessary,
to bypass the automatic five -month waiting period from approval to
receipt. For terminally ill individuals, this could mean that after a
life time of putting money into Social Security, they might pass away
before receiving their approved benefits, Pickering said.
Pickering continued, This isnt just about the
money. Joseph Seall is a man who served his country and worked hard his
whole life. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer; approved to receive
disability benefits; and then because of the inflexibility of government
rules, passed away before he could receive his first check. This
legislation allows a waiver for a terminally ill beneficiary.
The Pickering-Pomeroy legislation allows the
Commissioner of Social Security to waive the statutory five-month
waiting period for disability benefits when an individual is terminally
ill. The measure also requires the Commissioner of Social Security to
conduct a study of the Social Security disability claims process and
make recommendations to Congress for improvements and reforms.
There is an unacceptable backlog of disability
claims waiting to be processed by the Social Security Administration,
leaving thousands of people in North Dakota and across the country
without the benefits theyve earned, Congressman Pomeroy said. This
bill will expedite the delivery of disability benefits to people who are
terminally ill and require Social Security to find ways to improve the
evaluation process and promptly deliver benefits to those who qualify.
Pomeroy serves on the Social Security Subcommittee
of the House Ways and Means committee, where the bill will be referred
for action.
Congressman Chip Pickering represents Mississippis
Third Congressional District and serves on the House Energy and Commerce
Committee. This is his sixth term. Congressman Earl Pomeroy represents
North Dakota At-Large and serves on the House Ways and Means and
Agriculture Committees.
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