October is upon us, and at Breast Cancer Care and Research Fund we refer to October as Breast Cancer Action Month because we are taking action to end breast cancer. Join us now! Go to www.congress.gov to see if your Congressional representative is a co-sponsor of HR. 549 or if your Senator is a co-sponsor of S. 663, Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act.
This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with metastatic breast cancer (i.e., breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body).
Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer. Under current law, individuals generally must wait 5 months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.
Currently, we have 265 bi-partisan House co-sponsors and 31 Senators. If your Representative or Senator is not a co-sponsor and you want to reach out to them, contact us and we can show you the most successful mechanism to make this happen! Email Michele at michele@bccrf.org or call us at 310-927-7606.
We have no time to waste as this bill must pass by the end of this Congress, December 31, 2024!