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2008 RED BOOK



2008 RED BOOK

A SUMMARY GUIDE TO EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES UNDER THE
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE AND
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAMS
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCING THE RED BOOK 2008 .............................................................4

WHATS NEW IN 2008? ........................................................................................5

Automatic Adjustments Effective January 1, 2008 ..............................................5

Demonstration Projects Update..............................................................................6

Current Events .........................................................................................................7

HOW TO REACH SOCIAL SECURITY .............................................................8

RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS ...........................................11

Area Work Incentives Coordinator (AWIC) .......................................................11

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) Cadre .......................................................12

Benefits Planning Query (BPQY).........................................................................12

RETURN TO WORK PLANNING & ASSISTANCE.......................................13

Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Organizations (WIPA) ...................13

Work Incentives Seminar (WISE) Events ...........................................................13

State Vocational Rehabilitation Providers...........................................................14

Protection and Advocacy .......................................................................................14

Disability Program Navigators .............................................................................14

EARNWorks Job Seeker Network .......................................................................15

OVERVIEW OF OUR DISABILITY PROGRAMS .........................................16

Social Security Disability Insurance Program ....................................................16

Supplemental Security Income Program.............................................................16

Concurrent Entitlement ........................................................................................16

Comparison of the SSDI and SSI Disability Programs......................................16

How Do We Define Disability?..............................................................................18

What is Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)? .....................................................18

How do we evaluate your work activity for SGA purposes? .............................18

What if you are Self-Employed?...........................................................................19

RETURNING TO WORK ....................................................................................20

What Are Your Responsibilities When You Return to Work?...........................20

2
When Will We Review Your Disability? ..............................................................20

When Will Your Benefits Stop?.............................................................................20

HOW DO EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS HELP?..............................................22

SSDI Employment Supports .................................................................................22

SSI Employment Supports ....................................................................................22

GUIDE TO EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS .........................................................23

Ticket to Work........................................................................................................25

Trial Work Period (TWP) .....................................................................................25

Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) ...................................................................27

Unsuccessful Work Attempt (UWA).....................................................................28

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) ....................................................28

Examples of Deductible and Non-Deductible IRWE..........................................29

Subsidy and Special Conditions............................................................................31

Unincurred Business Expenses (Self-Employment Only) ..................................32

Earned Income Exclusion......................................................................................33

Student Earned Income Exclusion .......................................................................34

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) ...................................................................35

Property Essential to Self-Support (PESS) .........................................................36

Special SSI Payments for Individuals Who Work Section 1619(a)................37

Reinstating SSI Eligibility Without a New Application .....................................37

Special Benefits for Individuals Eligible under Section 1619 Who Enter a
Medical Treatment Facility ...................................................................................38

Continued Payment under a Vocational Rehabilitation Program or Similar
Program (Section 301) ...........................................................................................38

Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) ..........................................................................39

Continuation of Medicare Coverage ....................................................................40

Medicaid While Working Section 1619(b)........................................................40

State Threshold Amounts ......................................................................................41

Medicare for Individuals with Disabilities Who Work ......................................43

SPECIAL RULES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND..........................45

How SGA is Applied under SSDI to Individuals Who Are Blind......................45

Blind Work Expenses (BWE)................................................................................46

Accommodations for Individuals Who Are Blind...............................................47

ADDITIONAL HELP WITH HEALTH CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES.......................................................................................................48

3
Medicaid Buy-In for Working Individuals with Disabilities .............................48

Help with Medicare Part A Premiums .................................................................48

EXAMPLE OF CONCURRENT BENEFITS WITH EMPLOYMENT
SUPPORTS.............................................................................................................49

ACRONYMS ..........................................................................................................55

GLOSSARY............................................................................................................56



4

INTRODUCING THE RED BOOK 2008

Purpose
of the
Red Book













One of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) highest priorities is to
support the efforts of disabled beneficiaries who want to work by developing
policies and services to help them reach their employment goal. To that end, the
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income
(SSI) programs include a number of employment support provisions commonly
referred to as work incentives.

The Red Book is a general reference tool designed to provide a working
knowledge of these provisions. The Red Book is written primarily for
educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors who serve
individuals with disabilities. We also expect that applicants and beneficiaries
will use it as a self-help guide.

The Red Book contains a general description of our disability-related policies.
For information specific to your situation regarding eligibility or benefits, you
may need to contact us. You can find contact information on page 8.

The Red Book, including the Spanish language version, is available online at
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook.

Purpose of
Employment
Supports

Congress intended the employment support provisions to provide you with the
assistance you need to move further on the way from benefit dependency to
independence. In other words, employment supports help you to enter, re-enter,
or stay in the workforce by protecting your eligibility for cash payments and/or
health care until you achieve this goal.

Disclaimer
Different rules apply to benefits based on retirement or age. We cover those
rules in our other publications. Most SSA publications and other public
information materials are available at our Internet site, Social Security Online,
located at http://www.socialsecurity.gov.

Plain
Language"
We tried to keep the Red Book clear and brief. To that end, we followed "Plain
Language" guidelines. We generally use "we," "us," and "our" to refer
collectively to the Social Security Administration (SSA),