Randy Barrett Act

The Randy Barrett Act (H.R. 5034) proposes a change to Social Security rules to assist individuals diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Under current law, most people approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) must wait five months after the onset of their disability before they can begin receiving cash benefits. This bill would require the Social Security Administration to waive that five-month waiting period for terminally ill applicants, allowing them to receive financial support immediately upon the approval of their claim. The goal of the legislation is to ensure that individuals facing the end of life have faster access to earned benefits during a period of significant medical and financial strain.