Valuable Work Support Programs
for Americans with Disabilities
By
Jim Czechowicz
October was National
Disability Employment Awareness Month. And it is not just an observance
for Americans with disabilities. As the name implies, we all should
be “aware” of the possibility
that we or a family member could become disabled, and what valuable
support is available to help us return to full participation in the
workplace and community life.
Unfortunately, statistics show that a young person today has almost
a three-in-ten chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement
age. While almost 70% of workers today have no private, long-term
disability insurance, almost all do have Social Security disability
insurance coverage.
This coverage means that workers who are no longer able to work
because of a disability may qualify for monthly benefit payments.
And this program can also pay monthly benefits to spouses and children
under age 18 (or age 19 if they are full-time students in elementary
or high school). In addition, once a worker has been receiving disability
payments for two years, he or she will qualify for Medicare coverage.
Just as importantly,
if a person with a disability would like to go to work, Social
Security can offer vocational rehabilitation through the “Ticket to Work” program. Nearly all individuals
receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
disability benefits receive a “ticket” that they can
use to get free vocational rehabilitation, employment or other valuable
support services from an approved provider of their choice. Social
Security pays these providers for successfully helping a beneficiary
go to work.
The Ticket to Work program is voluntary and also has important provisions
to ensure that people with disabilities no longer have to choose
between keeping their health care coverage and trying to go to work.
Medicare hospital insurance coverage now continues for eight years
and six months after most Social Security disability beneficiaries
go to work. Medicare coverage continues even if an individual no
longer receives a monthly disability benefit from Social Security.
Medicare coverage for SSI disability beneficiaries may also be extended.
And each state has the option to extend Medicaid coverage to SSI
beneficiaries who work.
If you or someone you know
is a person with disabilities who would like more information, visit
our web site at www.socialsecurity.gov/work or
call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 TTY 1-800-325-0778 to learn
more.
Jim Czechowicz is in
the Office of Public Affairs, Social Security,
Minneapolis, MN.
