Skip to main content
S. 3740 116th Congress Senate

COVID–19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act of 2020

Official title: A bill to assist older Americans and people with disabilities affected by COVID-19.

Introduced: May 14, 2020 See on congress.gov
Social Welfare Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesAgingAmerican Samoa
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
AppropriationsCardiovascular and respiratory healthCaribbean areaCommunity life and organizationComputer security and identity theftConsumer affairsDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDisability and paralysisDisability assistanceEmergency medical services and trauma careEmployee benefits and pensionsExecutive agency funding and structureFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Federal Trade Commission (FTC)Food assistance and reliefForeign language and bilingual programsFraud offenses and financial crimesGovernment information and archivesGuamHealth care costs and insuranceHealth care coverage and accessHigher educationInfectious and parasitic diseasesInflation and pricesIntergovernmental relationsLawyers and legal servicesMarriage and family statusMedicaidMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMedicareNorthern Mariana IslandsPoverty and welfare assistancePuerto RicoRailroadsSocial Security AdministrationSocial security and elderly assistanceState and local financeStudent aid and college costsTransportation employeesU.S. territories and protectoratesVirgin IslandsWages and earnings
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 14, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
May 14, 2020
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action May 14, 2020

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

COVID-19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act of 2020

This bill modifies Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs for older adults and individuals with disabilities, including by revising eligibility criteria and administrative procedures and by providing supplemental appropriations for certain legal and translation services.

Among other changes, the bill permanently increases relevant income thresholds and asset limits that apply to SSDI, as well as temporarily suspends certain waiting periods that apply to SSDI, SSI, and Medicare coverage to address the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency. The bill also establishes a special Medicare enrollment period and temporarily suspends asset tests used to determine eligibility for certain low-income subsidy programs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. In addition, the bill delays the application of a reduced federal matching rate under Medicaid for certain personal care services that require an in-home visit.

Additionally, the Social Security Administration (SSA) shall not conduct most disability reviews, collect overpayments, suspend benefits, or undertake specified administrative actions during the COVID-19 emergency. The SSA and the Department of Education must also develop a process to automatically discharge the student loan debt of certain SSDI beneficiaries who have medically determined physical or mental impairments that are unlikely to improve.

In addition, state agencies may modify practices to achieve contactless delivery of food packages to supplement the diets of older, low-income individuals under the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.

The bill also provides funds for the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to each carry out national campaigns to educate the public about COVID-19 scams.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 6951 COVID–19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act of 2020
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 4

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

 Cosponsors 5
All 5 Democratic 5
D
Blumenthal, Richard
Connecticut · May 14, 2020
 D
Markey, Edward J.
Massachusetts · May 14, 2020
 D
Reed, Jack
Rhode Island · May 14, 2020
 D
Shaheen, Jeanne
New Hampshire · May 14, 2020
 D
Van Hollen, Chris
Maryland · May 14, 2020
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 3740: COVID–19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act of 2020. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3740/
MLA
"S. 3740: COVID–19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act of 2020." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3740/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 3740, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3740/.
Markdown link
[S. 3740: COVID–19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act of 2020](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3740/)
Report a problem