Cotton applauds signing of ALS Disability Insurance Access Act – 5newsonline.com

The new law grants ALS patients and families immediate access to the Social Security Disability Insurance benefits theyve earned.

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA On Dec. 22, U.S. Arkansas Senator, Tom Cotton, and Rhode Island Senator, Sheldon Whitehouse, issued a press release applauding the signing into law of the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act., which passed the Senate by a vote of 96-1 and cleared the House unanimously.

The bipartisan legislation eliminates the five-month waiting period before ALS patients can receive the Social Security Disability Insurance benefits they earned by contributing to Social Security.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrigs 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, but 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.

Americans suffering from ALS shouldnt have to wait for assistance, especially given their tragically short life expectancyand now they wont have to, said Cotton. By waiving the statutory disability benefits waiting period, our bill makes support available to those suffering from this terrible disease much faster. Im grateful to my colleagues in Congress and the president for helping bring relief to Americans living with ALS.

The legislation builds on previous steps by Congress and the Social Security Administration to accommodate the difficult prognosis for those diagnosed with ALS.

Calaneet Balas, President and CEO of the ALS Association, said she is grateful to Cotton, Whitehouse and all congressional champions who have worked alongside the ALS community for years to achieve this victory.

This legislation eliminates an unnecessary burden placed on the shoulders of people confronting a cruel, expensive and burdensome disease," said Balas. "It is a testament to the tenacity and perseverance of ALS advocates who laid the groundwork for victory through the hard work of building a coalition of legislative champions across partisan lines."

The act will help alleviate some of the financial hardship that accompanies an ALS diagnosis and support those living with ALS and their families.

This represents a simple act of humanity for Americans battling a disease that often moves too quickly for the current system, said Whitehouse. Allowing patients and their families to immediately access the benefits theyve earned will offer comfort as they confront a difficult diagnosis. Thank you to the tireless advocates and allies all over the country who joined our fight to get this done.

Cotton and Whitehouse first introduced the ALS Disability Insurance Act in 2016.

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Cotton applauds signing of ALS Disability Insurance Access Act - 5newsonline.com