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Benefits Planning

Get a Job!
How Employment Affects Your Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid Benefits
Authors - Connie Ferrell, Valerie Brooke, John Kregel, & Elizabeth Getzel
This booklet explains what happens when a person who has been receiving SSI and Medicaid goes to work. The following employment supports in the SSI system that help a person to continue receiving SSI and/or Medicaid while they work are explained: 1619 A&B, Earned Income Exclusion, Impairment Related Work Expense, Blind Work Expense, Plan for Achieving Self Support, Expedited Reinstatement (Easy Back On).
doc | pdf

Social Security 2004 Redbook
One of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) highest priorities is to assist individuals with disabilities achieve independence by helping them to take advantage of employment opportunities. The following link will take you to the 2004 Redbook, which is a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. Social Security 2004 Redbook For additional information, visit Social Security's Website related to work and disability, http://www.socialsecurity.gov/work.

Benefits Planning
Author - Grant Revell
Assuring that consumers are linked to effective benefits planning is a critically important initial step for organizations focusing on competitive employment outcomes. Individuals with significant disabilities who have a clear understanding of the impact of income through employment on cash and medical disability benefits can make informed choices in considering competitive employment.
doc | rtf

Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS), Vol. 1, March 2002
Editor - Lucy Miller
Author - Debby Murray
A PASS is an SSI work incentive that allows a person with a disability to set aside income and/or resources for a specified period of time to achieve a work goal. Any person on SSI (with other income/resources) or SSDI and could qualify for SSI can have a PASS plan. This document will offer guidance on this 'dream-making' work incentive.
PASS-PDF | PASS-Word | PASS-Text

Understanding 1619(b), Vol. 6, June 2002
Editor - Lucy Miller
Authors - Debby Murray & Lucy Miller
Section 1619(b) of the Social Security Act provides one of the most powerful work incentives currently available for SSI recipients. 1619(b) offers continued Medicaid to those eligible working individuals whose earned income is too high to qualify for SSI cash payments, but not high enough to offset the loss of Medicaid. This document will assist Benefit Specialists to understand the eligibility and process of utilizing Section 1619(b).
1619(b)-PDF | 1619(b)-Word | 1619(b)-Text

SSI and Resources, Vol. 7, February 2003
Editor - Lucy Miller
Authors- Debby Murray, Terri Uttermohlen & Lucy Miller
SSI is a means-tested program intended for people with disabilities who have little income and few resources. Because of this, income and resources affect whether individuals are eligible, and how much in SSI payment they are due. Income is what people receive in a month and resources are cash and items a person owns that can be converted to cash.
Resources-PDF | Resources-Word | Resources-Text

Eligible Couples
Vol. II, February 2004

The Social Security Administration defines an eligible couple as two SSI eligible individuals who are legally married under the laws of the State where they have a permanent home, living together in the same household and holding themselves out as husband and wife to the community in which they live, or determined by SSA to be entitled to either husband’s or wife’s Social Security benefits as the spouse of the other. It is important to understand that eligible couples only exist when both members of the couple are SSI eligible, not when an eligible individual is married to an ineligible spouse.
Eligible Couples-PDF | Eligible Couples-Word | Eligible Couples-Text
   Calculation Sheet
The above briefing paper refers to an "Eligible Couple Calculation Chart" for Benefits Specialists to use when helping
recipients understand the effect of earned income on cash and medical benefits. Here it is:
Eligible Couple 2004-HTML | Eligible Couple 2004-Word | Eligible Couple 2004-Rich Text

Understanding Medicare
Vol.1, Number 2, July 2003

Medicare is our country’s health insurance program for people age 65 or older, certain people with disabilities who are under age 65 and people of any age who have permanent kidney failure. It provides basic protection against the cost of health care, but it doesn’t cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care.
Understanding Medicare-PDF | Understanding Medicare-Word | Understanding Medicare-Text

Extended Medicare Provisions
Vol. 1, Number 1, June 2003

Beneficiaries of the Title II disability programs often believe that Medicare entitlement stops when cash payments stop. In fact, this is not necessarily the case. The Extended Period of Medicare Coverage (EPMC) provision allows most beneficiaries who meet the Social Security disability standard to continue Medicare coverage for at least 93-months after the Trial Work Period ends, even if cash benefits ceased due to Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level employment.
Extended Medicare-PDF | Extended Medicare-Word | Extended Medicare-Text

Special Medicaid Beneficiaries
Vol. 10, June 2003 (Updated 2004)

For the purposes of this paper, a “special Medicaid beneficiary” is someone who lost SSI payments due to receipt of or increases in Title II benefits (SSDI, CDB, DWB), but who is allowed to retain Medicaid coverage. This paper will not cover the extended Medicaid provisions for persons who lose SSI payments due to earned income, otherwise known as the 1619(b) provisions. For more information about 1619(B) refer to the VCU BARC briefing paper entitled “Understanding 1619 (b)".
Special Medicaid-PDF | Special Medicaid-Word | Special Medicaid-Text

Social Security Disability Benefit Issues Affecting Transistion Aged Youth
Vol. 8, April 2003 (Upated 2004)

The successful transition of students with disabilities from school to work and full community participation is a major policy initiative within several federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor. In recent years, school to work transition has also become a growing emphasis for the Social Security Administration (SSA). Since many students with disabilities are receiving Social Security disability benefits such as SSI or Title II Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB), and so few become employed at substantial levels after completing school, it makes sense for the SSA to be an active partner in these initiatives.
Transition-PDF | Transition-Word | Transition-Text

Expediated Reinstatement (EXR)
Vol. 5, April 2005

Available to SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients, Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) is an easy way to return more easily to Social Security disability benefits when work is significantly reduced or stopped because of an individual‘s original disabling condition. EXR permits up to 6-months of provisional benefits while the request is processed. This document offers insight into the eligibility and program process.
EXR-PDF | EXR-Word | EXR-Text

Parent to Child Deeming
Vol. 3.2, April 2003

When applying for or receiving SSI, the eligibility and amount of payment for a child SSI recipient below the age of 18, is determined by considering the income and resources of parent(s) responsible for the child SSI recipient’s welfare. This document will explore the deeming process and the information Benefits Specialists need to know.
Parent to Child Deeming-PDF | Parent to Child Deeming-Word | Parent to Child-Text

Introduction and Overview of Deeming
Vol. 3.1, April 2002

Deeming is a term SSA uses to describe the process of considering another person’s income and/or resources to be available for meeting an SSI claimant’s (recipients) basic need for food, shelter, and clothing. The concept of deeming is based on that notion that, in some situations, those who have a responsibility for others share their income and resources for the benefit of these persons. This document will address the various deeming situations identified by SSA.
Deeming-PDF | Deeming-Word | Deeming-Text

Subsidy and Special Conditions
Vol. 2, March 2002

An SSDI work incentive, where subsidy and special conditions takes into consideration the need for extra assistance, a reduced production rate, frequent breaks, or fewer job duties than co-workers without disabilities in a similar job. SSA uses a subsidy and/or special condition in assessing earnings that can be attributed directly to the individual and the earnings potential if those supports were not in place. SSA adjusts the value of the income by deducting the cost attributed to the extra help or special condition that each person experiences when determining the SGA.
Subsidy-PDF | Subsidy-Word | Subsidy-Text


This website was developed by T-TAP, funded by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (Number E 9-4-2-01217). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply the endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor. Virginia Commonwealth University, is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran's status, political affiliation, or disability. Privacy Policy. If special accommodations or language translation are needed contact Katherine Inge at: kinge@atlas.vcu.edu or Voice (804) 828 - 1851 | TTY (804) 828 - 2494.