Social Security Announces Major Improvements to the Ticket to Work Program
(This article is an update to the original article below).
The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket to Work Program provides people receiving Social Security benefits vocational rehabilitation, employment and related support services to assist them in getting back to work and maintaining self-supporting employment.
Under this program the SSA issues tickets to eligible beneficiaries who, in turn, may choose to assign those tickets to a network of employers or employment service providers of their choice to obtain various employment services.
The SSA recently issued new rules, to go into effect July 21, 2008, improving the effectiveness of the program, such as broadening the population of eligible beneficiaries to include those expected to medically improve, offering greater financial incentives to employers and employment service providers, and increasing the quality of such employment services.
Prior rules do not address the reality that entering the workforce or returning to work for SSA beneficiaries is an incremental and often episodic process. Payments were only available once the beneficiary’s earnings reach the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level. Now they are introducing a three phase return to work process with Phase 1 & 2 Milestones designed with this reality in mind.
For more information: www.ssa.gov/work , and www.socialsecurity.gov/work/newregs.html and see below.
- Adapted from: “ Social Security Announces Major Improvements To The Ticket To Work Program” , The Margolis & Bloom Weekly, 06/02/2008.
TICKET TO WORK: WORK INCENTIVES PROGRAM
By Nicole Levy, Patient Financial Services
In December of 1999, President Clinton signed into law "The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999." Designed to encourage SSDI/SSI recipients to try working, the Act organizes vocational training networks to help clients achieve their employment goals, extends Medicare coverage, and gives the States the option to expand Medicaid eligibility to a larger segment of the disabled population. The disability review process may be modified for the benefit of employed individuals, as well. Through this act, the Social Security Administration hopes to address the concerns of disability beneficiaries who fear that they would lose health insurance if they resume working. Nationwide, the age of SSDI recipients has decreased, which has influenced the SSA to look at ways to encourage this population to return to work through retention of benefits and access to a variety of educational opportunities.
The "Ticket to Work Program" will establish Employment Networks in each state, which will help disabled clients to develop a work plan and to access vocational rehabilitation, employment and other support services necessary to meet their aims. By using a "Ticket" distributed by the SSA's Program Manager, clients will be able to join the employment network which he/she feels would best suit his/her needs. With the help of a counselor, each participant would develop an individualized plan for returning to work, identify the support services necessary, and how he/she would receive them. During the course of the program the client will be able to modify the plan or switch into a different employment network. One may not be subjected to a disability review when involved in this endeavor. Participation in the program is voluntary.
The "Ticket to Work Program" strives to increase the choice of rehabilitation and vocational assistance available to SSI/SSDI recipients. The program's reimbursement levels are designed to encourage the participation of rehabilitation, vocational and related service providers. SSA will phase in this program by state over a three year period, beginning January 2001.
Other Social Security work incentive programs, such as the "Trial Work Period" and the "Extended Period of Eligibility," are still in effect. Presently, a disabled patient may participate in a nine month trial work period, during which she may earn over $200 per month or perform 40 hours or more of self-employed work (may be nonconsecutive months, during a 60-month period) without loosing cash or medical benefits. If the disabling condition ends, or the if the patient is able to maintain a work effort at a level considered "substantial gainful activity" after this nine month period, he receives an additional three months of payments before being terminated from SSDI cash benefits. Substantial work activity is defined as being involved in employment earning over $700/month. However, Medicare Part A insurance continues premium-free for an additional 36 months for the disabled worker, and Part B is available for $46.50/month under the Extended Period of Eligibility. (If income falls below $500 per month, one receives full benefits for that month.) After the extended eligibility period, one could then buy into the Medicare Part A coverage for $301/month.
Under the new legislation, starting October 1, 2000, patients who exhaust the 36-month period of Medicare eligibility will receive an extension of premium-free Medicare Part A benefits for an additional 4½ years. A patient whose benefits have ended because of earnings from work, but is unable to continue employment after the EPE due to a disability, does not have to reapply for SSDI or SSI benefits if the condition is related to the initial disability (effective January 1, 2001). The client must request a reinstatement of benefits within 60 months of termination from SSDI. One will then receive six months of provisional benefits until the case is reviewed. The beneficiary will not have to compensate for these services if found not to be disabled.
The "Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act" also develops a demonstration program to provide Medicaid assistance to workers with impairments who are not disabled enough to stop working.
Sources:
Steve Richardson, Regional Public Affairs Specialist, SSA, Boston.
Special Thanks to Barbara Pierson, Patient Financial Services.
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