Yes You Can Work! Learning ObjecPves 4/8/17. Working While Applying for and Receiving SSA Benefits

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1 Yes You Can Work! Working While Applying for and Receiving SSA Benefits PRESENTED BY: AMY LAMERSON, MSW SSI OHIO PROJECT MANAGER SOAR STATE LEAD FOR OHIO 1 What is SOAR? SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) helps increase access to Social Security AdministraAon (SSA) disability benefits for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness by providing SSA with complete and comprehensive applicaaons. Use of the SOAR process significantly increases approval rates on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applicaaons, resulang in a significant step toward recovery for individuals who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. For many persons in recovery accessing benefits is a first step. But SOAR extends beyond and also encourages employment as a means to increase individual income and further promote recovery. Supported Employment, especially the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model, is proven to help increase employment for people with disabiliaes. 2 Learning ObjecPves Gain a beqer understanding of SSA s work incenpves and related resources. Gain a beqer understanding of employment resources available to SOAR applicants and beneficiaries. Gain a beqer understanding of how SOAR providers can effecpvely collaborate with IPS supported employment providers. 3 1

2 4/8/17 Why Are We Talking About Employment in a Disability training? 4 Working for More than Income ü Self-worth and self-confidence ü Define a role for the person in the community ü Foster a connecpon to others ü Add structure to daily life ü CriPcal step in recovery 5 Common Myths If you work, your SSI/SSDI applicapon will be automapcally denied Benefits and health insurance end immediately when start working You can only work part-pme while receiving disability If Social Security knows you are working, they will say you aren t disabled anymore Luckily for the people we serve, these myths are false! 6 2

3 SOAR as an Agent of Hope Employment is possible during and ayer an applicapon for SSI/SSDI Develop experpse in work incenpves offered by SSA and give examples of how work will affect benefits IdenPfy and collaborate with employment support services 7 Start Talking About Work Begin the conversapons early and have them oyen Remind the individual that it is their decision, let him/her weigh pros and cons Provide reassuring and encouraging messages Ensure the applicant is equipped with accurate informapon about working while applying for and receiving SSI/SSDI 8 Employment ConversaPon Guide and SAMPLE Responses 9 3

4 4/8/17 Yes You Can Work! Myths & Facts 10 Benefits Planning Is EssenPal Impact on Social Security income, health insurance and other benefits ReporPng earnings Maximizing SSA work incenpves 11 Working While Disabled: How Social Security Can Help 12 4

5 What Are The SSDI and SSI Programs? Social Security Disability Insurance provides benefits to disabled or blind people who are insured by workers contribuaons to the SSA trust fund. SSI makes cash assistance payments to the aged, blind and disabled who have limited income and assets. 13 SSI benefits Generally, the more income an individual has, the lower his or her benefit will be, however, there are some exclusions that help the individual keep a higher benefit payment, such as: 14 AYer Approval for SSI/SSDI Income Exclusion for SSI Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) Trial Work Period (TWP) Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) Subsidy Impairment-Related Work Expense (IRWE) Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits (EXR) 5

6 What happens to cash benefits? $$ Work Pays $$ Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Income Exclusion Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Trial Work Period Extended Period of Eligibility SubstanPal Gainful Employment (SGA) What is substanaal gainful acavity? SGA is work acavity either as an employee or a selfemployed person It is used as a guideline to determine iniaal and conanuing disability enatlement for SSDI beneficiaries and iniaal enatlement for SSI recipients. 17 SGA Amounts 2017 Non Blind $1170 per month ($1130 in 2016) Blind $1950 per month ($1820 in 2016) 18 6

7 4/8/17 Determining if Earnings are SGA An SGA determinaaon is a process that focuses on a person s earnings and his or her work acavity. The gross earnings are only the starang point when making an SGA determinaaon. We also evaluate the following: Impairment related work expenses (IRWE) Subsidy/special condiaons VacaAons/sick payment Any earnings not directly related to your work acavity (royalaes) 19 While Applying for SSI/SSDI You can work during the applicapon process SSA looks at the type and amount of work Earn up to $1,130/month, $1,170/month (2017) Strategy: Encourage work from the start Can help to strengthen the applicapon Might find that supported employment works beqer for individual Income Exclusion: SSI Only Certain amounts of earnings are excluded when calculapng countable income General exclusion: $20 Earned income exclusion: $65 If SSI is sole income, both exclusions apply AYer exclusions, SSA Counts $1.00 for every $2.00 earned 7

8 SSI Earned Income Exclusion plus 1/2 of the remaining monthly earned income (wages or self-employment) is excluded from countable income to provide an incenave for SSI recipients to work 22 CalculaPng Countable Income: SSI Gross Earnings From Work: $1,553 General Exclusion: ($20) Earned Income Exclusion: ($65) = $1468 $1 Counted for Every $2 Earned: $1468/2 Countable Income: = $734 Maximum SSI check Countable Income: $ Amount of SSI Check: $1 Total Income: $1,554 $1,554 > $735 *Calcula9ons use the 2017 Federal Benefit Rate for SSI of $735/month Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) Allows beneficiaries to set aside wages or other income besides SSI and/or resources to pursue a work goal Expenses: educaaon, vocaaonal training, assisave technology used for employment related purposes, or starang a business SSA does not count the income that you set aside under PASS when they figure the SSI payment amount. 24 8

9 4/8/17 PASS = Plan to Achieve Self-Support PASS Plan: SSI Only Allows an SSI recipient to save money for an educaponal or vocaponal goal in a separate account, which is not counted as a resource or countable income when determining his/her SSI payment The PASS must be wriqen and approved by SSA, and the goal must be reasonable to aqain in three years. Example: Joe works part-pme as a line cook in a restaurant would like to aqend culinary school to get a job as a chef at a local hotel. The tuipon for culinary school is $3,000. With an approved PASS plan, savings to pay this tuipon would not be counted as a resource and would not eliminate his SSI eligibility. Student Earned Income Exclusion 2017 SSI student (under age 22) must be regularly acending school Exclude up to $1790/month of earned income, up to $7,200 a calendar year ($1780/$7180 in 2016) 26 Work IncenPves Work IncenAves are SSA rules that help beneficiaries keep their benefits as they explore work. By using Work IncenAves, beneficiaries can make more money, gain new skills, and achieve greater independence through work. 27 9

10 AYer Approval for SSI/SSDI You can work while receiving SSI/SSDI Strategy: Connect with work support programs SSA s Ticket to Work Supported Employment Programs Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Ticket to Work (TTW) A free and voluntary program available to people ages who are blind or disable and receive SSDI or SSI benefits. Provides services to help the beneficiary find and maintain employment. Services may be training, career counseling, vocaaonal rehabilitaaon, job placement, and ongoing support services necessary to achieve a work goal. May not be subject to a medical conanuing disability review 29 Trial Work Period (TWP): SSDI Only 9 months of gross earnings (per current SSA rate) Need not be consecupve Are counted within a 5-year period Triggers a review of one s conpnued eligibility for SSDI ConPnue to receive full benefit check during this Pme 10

11 Trial Work Period Example: SSDI It only counts as a TWP month when earnings are above the threshold set each year by SSA 2017 = $ = $ = $780 Month Earnings TWP Jan 2015 $900 Yes-1 Feb 2015 $550 No Mar 2015 $790 Yes-2 April 2015 $600 No Aug 2015 $845 Yes-3 Sept 2015 $850 Yes-4 Oct 2015 $860 Yes-5 Nov 2015 $850 Yes-6 Month Earnings TWP Jan 2016 $900 Yes-7 Jun 2016 $500 No Jul 2016 $500 No Aug 2016 $800 No Sep 2016 $500 No Oct 2016 $800 No Dec 2016 $900 Yes-8 Jan 2017 $1000 Yes-9 When the Trial Work Period Ends SSA will look at earnings in the first month ayer the Trial Work Period to determine if the person is earning SGA Countable earnings can be reduced with a Subsidy and/or Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) If earning SGA: Benefits cease ayer a 3 month grace period If not earning SGA: Benefits conpnue Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE): SSDI Only Applies only to SSDI Lasts 36 months from the end of the TWP (if applicable) Applies to any month in which earnings fall below SGA Allows beneficiaries to receive SSDI in the months of non- SGA earnings during the EPE 11

12 4/8/17 Requirements and Examples of IRWE Costs for items & services must be paid by individual with disability and not reimbursed by another source such as insurance Items or services must be disability related Cost must be reasonable Ø Acendant care services Ø Service animals Ø Medical devices-wheelchairs, respirators, etc. Ø Regularly prescribed medical treatment or therapy necessary to control the disabling condiaon 34 IRWE: Both SSI and SSDI Impairment Related Work Expense An out-of-pocket expense that enables the person to go to work The expense must be related to the disability, such as medicapon co-pays, special equipment, service animals, and special transportapon Social Security does not reimburse beneficiaries for IRWEs, but rather reduces the calculated countable income Not an IRWE: the company uniform, since all employees must buy the uniform and it is not related specifically to the person s disability IRWE Example: SSI 5 prescrippons, $10 co-pay for each, the IRWE is subtracted from countable income Gross Earnings From Work: $500 General Exclusion: ($20) Earned Income Exclusion: ($65) IRWE ($50) = $365 $1 Counted for Every $2 Earned: $365/2 Countable Income: = $ Maximum SSI check Countable $735- Income: $ Amount of SSI Check: $ Total Income: $1, $1, > $735 *Calcula9ons use the 2017 Federal Benefit Rate for SSI of $735/month 12

13 IRWE Example: SSDI 5 prescrippons, $10 co-pay for each The IRWE is subtracted from earnings when determining SGA at the end of the TWP Gross Earnings From Work after TWP: $1170 IRWE ($50) Considered Income: = $1120 Earning SGA? NO SubstanAal Gainful AcAvity (SGA) = $1,130/month (2016), $1,170 (2017) Subsidy and Special CondiPons Employer may subsidize an employee with a disability by paying more in wages than reasonable value of actual services performed Special condiaons are generally provided by someone other than an employer; for example, a third-party job coach paid for by a vocaaonal rehabilitaaon agency 38 Subsidy: SSDI Only Implied Value of extra support received on the job Examples of supports: Extra hours of supervision Job coach or mentor Reduced workload Provided by employer Subsidized worker earns the same pay as other workers doing the same job 13

14 Subsidy Example: SSDI The subsidy is subtracted from earnings when determining SGA at the end of the TWP Gross Earnings From Work after the TWP: $1300 Subsidy ($200) Considered Income: = $1100 Earning SGA? NO SubstanAal Gainful AcAvity (SGA) = $1,130/month (2016), $1,170 (2017) Blind Work Expenses A blind SSI recipient who is working may deduct ordinary and necessary work-related expenses from countable earned income. Examples include guide dog expenses, taxes, lunch, transportaaon. 41 Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits (EXR) For both SSI and SSDI Five years ayer benefits cease due to earnings Expedited return to payments and medical benefits A medical review is done to see if the current condipon is the same as, or related to, the original condipon Applicants can receive six months of provisional SSA benefits while the decision is processed Applicants should request EXR from the local SSA office 14

15 Health Insurance SSI: Medicaid May conpnue under Federal Rule 1619B even if SSI cash payments stop Earnings must remain below state threshold SSDI: Medicare ConPnues for 93 months (7.75 years) ayer the last month of the Trial Work Period May be purchased ayer 93 months under certain condipons; premium costs for Part A then apply ConPnuaPon of Medicare Coverage Medicare coverage conanues for at least 93 months aker the TWP. Part A is premium-free. Medicare for the Working Disabled can be used beyond the 93 months, however, Part A is no longer premium-free. 44 SecPon 1619 (a) and (b) This provision allows SSI disabled recipients to work above the SGA level and conanue to receive cash payments SecAon 1619(b) allows SSI disabled or blind recipients to conanue to be eligible for Medicaid when their earned income is the only reason for terminaaon of cash payment 45 15

16 More InformaPon For more informaaon on employment supports visit our website and download The Red Book hcps:// TheRedBook2016.pdf 46 SOAR: Next Steps Increasing Income Supports through IntegraPng Benefits and Employment 47 Employment Strategies 1. Educate individuals that they can work and receive SSA disability benefits - be a myth buster! 2. UPlize Social Security work incenpves and SSA s Ticket to Work program 3. Celebrate successful examples of individuals who work while receiving SSA disability benefits Through these strategies we can increase income and housing stability and end homelessness! 48 16

17 CABHI: SOAR and IPS Pilot SOAR: SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery IPS: Individual Placement and Support 12 State Teams who received the CABHI-States-Enhancement Grant were invited to parpcipate AZ, CO, CT, IL, MA, MI, MS, NV, OH, TN, UT, WI Learning Community: Four 90 minute, weekly calls to kick off the pilot (Started May 6) Pilot: Monthly check-in calls with pilot parpcipants to report on progress (Started June 30) 49 ObjecPves CABHI: SOAR and IPS Pilot 1. Demonstrate how SOAR and IPS can form a cohesive and coordinated set of services for income support 2. Evaluate lessons learned from integrapon of services 3. IdenPfy how to apply pilot findings to wider SOAR/ employment services community 50 Incorporate SOAR and Employment into Your Services ü Gather more informapon: Tip Sheet: SSI/SSDI and Employment: A Brief Overview of SSA Work IncenFves New! Myth BusPng Resource: Yes You Can Work! Reach out to the SOAR TA Center with quespons and for support ü Explore oppons for SOAR training with your staff Free online SOAR training, available at: hqp://soarworks.prainc.com Use Class 1 of the SOAR Online Course as a SOAR 101 New! Employment ConversaFon Guide with Sample Responses ü Collaborate with community partners to refer individuals to local SOAR inipapves 51 17

18 Benefits Planning: Resources SSA Work Site: Ticket to Work: Employment Networks: hcps:// Work IncenAves Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program ProtecAon and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) Disability Program Navigators (DPNs)/Disability Resource Coordinators Department of Labor, One-Stop Career Centers hcps:// 52 For More InformaPon on SOAR hqp://soarworks.prainc.com SAMHSA SOAR TA Center 345 Delaware Avenue Delmar, New York (518) Amy Lamerson, MSW SSI Ohio Project Manager SOAR State Lead for Ohio 53 18