Disabled Americans can now collect benefits immediately—at a permanent cost
S. 3924 — We Can't Wait Act of 2026 · Filed by Susan Collins (R-ME) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Feb 25, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill allows disabled individuals to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits immediately during the standard 5-month waiting period, rather than waiting to collect. The benefit amount is reduced by a percentage (starting at 94.25%) that is recalculated every 5 years to keep the program's long-term costs neutral. Individuals can elect this option when applying or within 10 days of receiving a favorable decision, and can revoke the election during specified windows.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a voluntary early-access option for SSDI benefits during the waiting period, with actuarial adjustments to maintain program solvency. It is a policy choice about timing and benefit design, not a structural reform or carve-out.
What the text implies
- The 94.25% reduction factor is fixed for 36 months, then recalculated every 5 years. If actuarial conditions worsen, the percentage could drop below 91%, triggering a mandatory Congressional report—effectively creating a pressure point for future legislative action on SSDI solvency.
- Representative payees (typically family members or guardians managing benefits for incapacitated individuals) can confirm or revoke elections on behalf of beneficiaries, creating a delegation of choice that may not reflect the disabled individual's own preference.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Disabled individuals gain immediate access to income during a period of acute financial vulnerability, with transparent trade-offs (a reduced benefit amount) that are actuarially designed to be cost-neutral to the program. The bill expands choice and financial relief for a vulnerable population without shifting costs to other beneficiaries or taxpayers.