Future pandemic preparedness

(a) In general For purposes of subsection (b) of section 203 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 403(b)), wages paid to an eligible individual during any public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 319(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d(a)) shall not be included in the determination of the individual’s excess earnings under subsection (f)(3) of such section for any taxable year. (b) Issuance of waivers During a public health emergency declared by the Secretary under section 319(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d(a)) in which the Secretary has determined that, wholly or partially as a result of the public health emergency, there is a shortage of healthcare workers, the Commissioner of Social Security may issue a waiver to an individual who attests to and provides evidence of being employed as a health care professional or first responder during such public health emergency. (c) Report The Commissioner shall annually submit a report to Congress describing each waiver that has been issued under this section during the previous year. (d) Eligible individual defined For purposes of this section, the term eligible individual means an individual to whom the Commissioner has issued a waiver in accordance with subsection (b).