March 29, 2024

Social Security Q&A

Posted on October 4, 2014 by in Social Security

Question: Does where I live affect the amount of my Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits?

Answer: It might. First, where you live might affect your benefit amount because some states add a supplement to the federal payment. If you live in your own place and pay your own food and shelter costs, regardless of whether you own or rent, you may get up to the maximum SSI amount payable in your state. You also can get up to the maximum if you live in someone else’s household, as long as you pay your food and shelter costs. If you live in someone else’s household and don’t pay your food and shelter costs or pay only part of them, your SSI benefit may be reduced by up to one–third of the SSI federal benefit rate. To learn more, read Supplemental Security Income (SSI) available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

Question: My application for disability benefits was denied. What do I do if I disagree with the decision?

Answer: You can appeal the decision at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. This website is the starting point to request a review of our medical decision about your eligibility for disability benefits. There are two parts to this Internet Appeal process:

1: An Appeal Request Internet form; and

2: An Appeal Disability Report that gives us more information about your condition.

You can complete both forms online. To appeal online, the only form you must submit is an Appeal Request Internet form (Part 1). However, we encourage you to submit an Appeal Disability Report (Part 2) because it will give us more information about you and help us in processing your appeal. To get started, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

Question: What is the definition of disability for children filing for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

Answer: Social Security has a strict definition of disability for children under the SSI program. A child who is under age 18 is considered disabled if he or she:

— Has a physical or mental condition (or a combination of conditions) resulting in “marked and severe functional limitations.” “Marked and severe functional limitations” means that the condition very seriously limits the child’s activities; and

— The condition has lasted, or is expected to last, at least one year or is expected to result in death.

— To decide whether a child is disabled for SSI purposes, we look at medical and other information (such as information from schools, parents, and caregivers) about the child’s condition(s), and we consider how the condition affects his or her daily activities. We consider questions such as:

— What activities is the child not able to do or is limited in doing?

— What kind of and how much extra help does the child need to perform age-appropriate activities—for example, special classes at school, medical equipment?

— Do the effects of treatment interfere with the child’s day-to-day activities?

Read Benefits For Children With Disabilities, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs, for additional information on how we decide if a child under age 18 is disabled.

Question: I understand you must have limited resources to be eligible for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. What does this mean?

Answer: To qualify for Extra Help in 2014, your resources must be limited to $13,440 for an individual or $26,860 for a married couple living together. Resources include the value of the things you own. Some examples are real estate (other than your primary residence); bank accounts, including checking, savings, and certificates of deposit; stocks; bonds, including United States Savings Bonds; mutual funds; Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA); and cash you have at home or anywhere else. To learn more about Extra Help, and to apply online, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp.

KMcKinneyNewShrp

Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached in Montgomery at 866-593-0914, ext. 26265, or by e-mail at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov

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