Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act
Sponsored By: Representative Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
Introduced
Summary
Treat married disabled adult children the same as unmarried ones for Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid eligibility. This bill would remove marriage-based rules that can end or cut disability-related benefits and stop counting a spouse’s income for certain child’s disability benefits.
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- Families: Disabled adult children who qualify for Social Security child’s benefits would be able to keep those benefits after marriage and their spouse’s income would not be counted when determining those benefit amounts.
- SSI recipients: People who present themselves as married would not automatically be treated as married for SSI eligibility. The bill replaces old presumptions with neutral marital language and updated rules about who counts as a spouse.
- Medicaid access: In states that elect the relevant option under federal law, married disabled adult children and their spouses who would qualify for medical assistance if unmarried would remain eligible for Medicaid.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Married disabled adults could keep Medicaid
If enacted, married adults with disabilities who get a child’s Social Security benefit could keep Medicaid in some states. This would apply only in states that use the section 1902(f) option. It would also cover their spouses. You must be someone who would qualify for Medicaid if unmarried. Eligibility would continue as long as you meet those rules. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
Married disabled adult children keep SSI and Social Security
If enacted, married disabled adult children could get the child’s Social Security disability benefit. The bill would also stop counting a spouse’s income and assets against this group for SSI. SSI would treat a Social Security marriage finding as a marriage starting on that finding date or the SSI application date, whichever is later. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 3/5/2025
Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3]
MI • D
Sponsored 4/24/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 5/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov