Workshop Description

This is a "roll-up the sleeves," bring two pens workshop.

Six hours of valuable information.

Many people do not understand how wage, unearned income, and resources effect medical benefits and continuing entitlement to Social Security benefits and/or eligibility for the SSI program.  The focus of the workshop is on demonstrating how a beneficiary can make an informed choice of earning significant income and still qualify for medical benefits and benefit payments, rather than pursue the commonly held perception that people must limit their income to protect their benefits.

Imagine a SSDI beneficiary going to work in January 2016 with a monthly salary of over $4,000.  Assuming the person never medically improves, anytime between January 2016 and the end of September 2024, if this person must leave employment because of the original impairment, she/he will be entitled to the SSDI benefit payment and Medicare immediately.  She/he will receive the benefit payment and Medicare provisionally for six months while Social Security reviews the medical condition.  If the person has not medically improved, the benefit payment and Medicare will be reinstated after the provisional period.

During the workshop the commonly-used work incentives are covered, with multiple examples. These include Impairment-related Work Expenses, Student Earned Income Exclusion, Plan to Achieve Self-support, Subsidy, and others.

Mike encourages the audience to ask questions to clarify their understanding of the use of each work incentive.  He illustrates how people can protect their entitlement to benefits by maximizing their income and properly reducing the amount of income Social Security actually counts.

Throughout the seminar, the eligibility for the appropriate medical benefits is emphasized to illustrate the impact of wages on Medicare and/or Medicaid.  In the appropriate state (+40), eligibility for the "Medicaid Buy-in" program is discussed as many members of the audience are not familiar with this form of Medicaid for working disabled individuals and the state-specific qualifications.

It doesn't end when the day is over.  Following the workshop, Mike provides assistance whenever a participant needs help with a problem case, by email or telephone contact.  Some people have used this service for over 22 years!

The "Benefits and Employment in 2016" workshop covers:

           1. THE STRUCTURE OF BENEFIT PROGRAMS

           2. Title II:  SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE (SSDI), CHILDHOOD

                            Including:

                                 Trial Work Period

                                 Extended Period of Eligibility

                                 Re-entitlement Period

                                 SGA Cessation month and Grace Period

                                 Benefit Termination Month

               Title II Work Incentives

                        Subsidy

                        Impairment-Related Work Expenses

               MEDICARE & Extended Medicare Entitlement

               Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits

           3. Title XVI:  SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME

                        Student Earned Income Exclusion

                        Impairment-Related Work Expenses

                        Plan for Achieving Self-Support

                        Blind Work Expenses

               1619(b) Eligibility  (Medicaid)

               Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits

           4. MEDICAID BUY-IN PROGRAM (if appropriate for the state)