By Patricia Jones, Alliance Poverty Task Force
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs provide assistance to people with disabilities. Both are administered by the Social Security Administration, and individuals who have a disability and meet medical criteria may qualify for benefits under either program.
Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured," meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.
First you have to meet Social Security’s definition of disability, which is different than other programs. Under SSDI or SSI you must have total, permanent disability. They consider the following: You cannot do the work you did before. You cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition. And your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or will result in death.
No benefits are available under Social Security for partial disability or short-term disability. Social Security assumes that working families have access to other resources to provide support during periods of short-term disabilities, including workers' compensation, insurance, savings, and investments.
Social Security looks at five questions to determine if you are disabled. 1) Are you working? If you are working in 2021 and your earnings average more than $1,310 a month, you generally cannot be considered disabled. 2) Is your condition “severe”? Your condition must significantly limit your ability to do basic work-related activities, such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering – for at least 12 months. 3) Is your condition on the Social Security list of disabling conditions, or as severe as a medical condition that is on the list? 4) Can you do the work you did previously? 5) Can you do any other type of work despite your medical impairment?
There are special rules and benefits for people who are blind and for disabled widows or widowers. There are also benefits available for disabled children. These can all be found online at ssa.gov, by phoning 1-800-772-1213, or by visiting the Social Security office at 415 Valley View Drive, Scottsbluff.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program funded by general tax revenues, not Social Security taxes. The SSI program provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits. SSI payments are also made to people age 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications.
You may be able to get SSI if your resources are worth $2,000 or less, $3,000 for a couple. You may be eligible to receive SSI monthly payments even if you are already receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or retirement benefits. The monthly
payments are designed to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. They figure in your living arrangements, other income, and the area where you live.
Social Security benefits play a vital role in reducing poverty, lifting more Americans above the poverty line than any other program. If you qualify for benefits, the application process is not hard, and assistance is available online, through a phone call, or at the Scottsbluff office.