Chatlog 01-30-07 americah says to (19:59): one of my question to you, I was on SSI in 1993. I went to prison for two years and my SSI stopped. I am trying to get SSI and was denied. Admin says (19:59): The reason you lost your SSI in 1993 was due to a living arrangement issue. Since SSI is for food and shelter, if another agency is paying for that (the correctional system), then SSA will not pay americah says to (19:59): they are trying me make me reapply for SSI but should I be eligible for expedited SSI? Admin says (20:00): No, you have to re-apply if the suspension has been for more than 12 months. heidi says to (20:00): if you are determined ineligible for benefits after the EXR, then do you have to pay back the 6 months of benefits you received? Admin says (20:00): No - under EXR you do NOT have to re-pay the 6 months of provisional benefits americah says to Admin (20:01): americah says to Admin (20:01): so I should be able to get SSI Admin says (20:01): Well, probably. Assuming you have not medically improved and you still meet the income and resource rules, you should be able to get it back. americah says to Admin (20:02): I know I have met the income rule Admin says (20:02): Your countable resources must be under $2,000 heidi says to (20:04): 2,000 resource limit is difficult to live under - are the exemptions? Admin says (20:04): Yes, about a million of them. We have a paper on this. Go to www.vcu-barc.org and click on where it says briefing papers. Pull up the one on SSI and resources and you will find most of the main rules nwhitis says to Admin (20:05): The maximum amount our disabled students can make before reducing their check is? Admin says (20:05): I can't answer that for everyone in one message - it depends on which benefit type they are on. If they are on SSI the check will start to reduce after $85 - BUT there is a special exclusion for SSI recipients who are students under the age of 22. Okdrs says to (20:06): If a person on SSI/Title 16 benefits submits their check stubs and work information to SSA from the time they start their job, will they likely incur an overpayment related to the two month SSA lag time you spoke of or not? Admin says (20:06): No, it is like working two months in the hole. They simply have a delay in the check - so, when they quit their job, the check will take two months to come back up again - it is a delay. heidi says to (20:07): another question is about the working under the table. It is difficult to dissuade folks from doing that since it is difficult to catch. you have made good arguments though. Admin says (20:07): nwhitis says to Admin (20:08): I am referring to students under the age of 22, some are in a job training program but receive pay. Admin says (20:08): Most would be eligible for the Student Earned Income Exclusion. For more info on this, check out the Redbook, or go to www.vcu-barc.org and check out the fact sheet on this wonderful work incentive Sue says to (20:09): If a student is receiving SSI and also received a large Pell grant, is that considered income which will cause the SSI to be reduced? Admin says (20:09): Pell grants do NOT count as income or as a resource in the SSI program. The rules specifically exclude this. Good news, eh? golightly00 says to (20:10): Is it true that a person who starts working who has Medicare will retain it for 7 years regardless of income, and then can purchase it after that time? Admin says (20:10): Yes - assuming the person does not medically recover. SSA promises that you can keep premium free Part A for a MINIMUM of 93 months after the trial work period ends. This is fairly new - started in 2001 with Ticket legislation Okdrs says to (20:11): I have a question on how fast the pass program can be started and what type of employment goals are acceptable Admin says (20:11): PASS can start as soon as you write up your plan on the approved form and get it into the PASS specialists at SSA. Employment goals of ANY type are acceptable - BUT SSA wants to see SGA level employment golightly00 says to (20:12): Is that the Ticket to Work program you are referring to? Admin says (20:12): Well, the Ticket to Work was created as part of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. We call it the ticket legislation for short. nwhitis says to Admin (20:13): Is there an minimum age requirement for pass? Admin says (20:13): No, there is not. However, there is a maximum age - you have to be 64 or younger. Odd, isn't it? golightly00 says to (20:16): I wonder if the maximum age is 64 because they do not believe someone will work for much longer after the age of 64 Admin says (20:16): That is my understanding. I have heard that a few exceptions have been made, but I have not personally worked on any of these cases. golightly00 says to (20:17): So 1619B protects you from losing your Medicare coverage correct? Admin says (20:17): No, 1619b protects SSI recipients from losing their Medicaid coverage - not Medicare. It is easy to confuse the two! golightly00 says to (20:18): Angie says to (20:18): What is the significance of age 64, when full retirement age may be 67 or later? Admin says (20:19): I am not sure what the reasoning was behind this policy - I do know that this is a rule found in the SSA POMS (that is the policies and procedures manual they use). nwhitis says to Admin (20:19): Could PASS be used as part of a student's transition planning? Admin says (20:19): Absolutely! PASS is a powerful work incentive for students. Okdrs says to (20:20): how is the progress of the pass monitored like when you get a degree for example or if you have completed a trial work period. Admin says (20:20): The PASS specialist will monitor your progress on an ongoing basis - they will have regular touch points where they contact the beneficiary to see that things are going as planned. golightly00 says to (20:21): After the $85 a month, how much can you expect someone’s SSI check to drop? Admin says (20:21): You check will be reduced by 1 dollar for every 2 dollars that you earn - you always come out ahead by working. Don't forget - SSI has additional work incentives that can also be deducted. nwhitis says to Admin (20:21): Where do we find the PASS specialist in our area? Admin says (20:22): Go to www.socialsecurity.gov - you can look this up for your region. golightly00 says to (20:22): Something I found funny was that you can make too much from SSDI to receive SSI how can that be? Admin says (20:22): SSDI is a form of "unearned income" from SSI's perspective. If you have too much title II disability, you will be ineligible for SSI. I know it is weird! golightly00 says to (20:23): Is there a point where someone's SSDI will run out? Admin says (20:24): The session has ended. Please post additional questions on the web board the link is on the web cast page. Thanks!