Supplemental Security Income
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Supplemental Security Income (or SSI) is a monthly stipend provided to some citizens and some lawfully admitted aliens by the United States federal government. It was started by president Richard Nixon. Individuals must prove to the Social Security Administration that they are blind, disabled or over the age of 65 with limited income to receive money. A disabling condition for Social Security's purposes is a condition that prevents someone from performing substantial gainful activity, which is objectively measured at $860, gross, per month in 2006. The condition must be expected to last at least one year or be reasonably expected to end in death.
The SSI program, or Title XVI of the Social Security Act, provides monthly cash assistance of up to $603 (as of 2006) for an individual to help meet the costs of basic needs of food, shelter and clothing. In most states, SSI eligibility usually assures concurrent access to important medical coverage under the various state Medicaid programs and sometimes access to Section 8 housing benefits. In some states, supplemental payments are made by the state, increasing the cash assistance available through SSI.
SSI takes into consideration what your income is and what resources you have. When most people receive Social Security disability benefits, during their initial five-month wait to receive these benefits, they will receive SSI if they meet the income and resource requirements. SSI benefits are generally reduced dollar-for-dollar by any other unearned income, such as TANF, AFDC, Alimony, Unemployment Insurance, Social Security Disability or Retirement benefits. SSI is not retroactive, unlike Social Security disability. Social Security determines the month you have protected for an SSI application by the date of your intent to file, so long as it is expressed to Social Security and an application is filed within 60 days. You may call Social Security toll-free to set up a disability interview or visit their website to fill out an online application for benefits. If you call the last day of the month, and the interview is set for the second week of the proceeding month, your SSI eligibility will still go back to the month you actually called and set up the appointment. Medicaid benefits will start the month of your EO2 - you qualify both medically and technically/financially eligible - and SSI payments start one month later.
Any month that you have an outstanding or unsatisfied warrant you are ineligible for benefits. If you are incarcerated for an entire calendar month, you are ineligible for benefits. If you are in a medical facility, paid for by Medicaid (at least 50%), your payment may be reduced to $30.
