Alternate Participants (AP)

A public or private agency, except the designated participating State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency or agency for the blind, that SSA determined is qualified to provide Vocational Rehabilitation services with whom SSA has signed a contract to provide such services to SSDI/SSI disability beneficiaries.

Continuing Disability Review (CDR)

A process that SSA conducts to obtain complete current information about a beneficiary's medical condition and any work activity completed to decide if SSDI and/or SSI benefits should continue.

Continuation of Medicare Coverage

An SSDI beneficiary can receive at least 39 consecutive months of hospital and medical insurance after the trial work period, (93 months if a "Ticket to Work" has been used). This provision allows health insurance to continue when a beneficiary goes to work and is engaged in Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).

Disability

Inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to physical or mental impairment(s) which has lasted or can be expected to last for at least 12 months or can be expected to result in death.

Employment Network (EN)

An EN consists of any agency or instrumentality of a private or public entity that enters into a contract with SSA to assume responsibility for the coordination and delivery of appropriate employment, employment activities, and other support services under the Ticket to Work Program. SSA selects and enters into contracts with ENs for services under the Program. An EN must either be a single provider of such services or an association of entities organized so as to combine their resource into a single entity. An EN must provide the full range of services necessary to prepare and place beneficiaries in employment.

Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)

A component of the SSDI Work Incentives the EPE is a consecutive 36 month period during which a working beneficiary may receive cash benefits for any month(s) countable income falls below the SGA level. The EPE begins the month immediately after the Trial Work Period (TWP) ends.

Medicaid

Medical coverage provided to a person through their state Title XIX program.

Medicare

(as it relates to SSDI). A two-part health insurance program for eligible individuals with disabilities and people age 65 or older.

Medicare for People with Disabilities Who Work

Some people with disabilities who qualify for SSDI and have returned to work can buy continued Medicare coverage when their premium-free Medicare ends due to work activity. States are required to help pay the hospital insurance premiums for some working individuals with disabilities.

Resources

(as it relates to SSI) - Anything that is owned, such as a bank account, stocks, business assets, real property, or personal property that beneficiaries can use for support and maintenance. All resources may not count when determining SSI eligibility.

SSDI

see Social Security Disability Insurance.

SSI

see Supplemental Security Income.

SSI Work Incentive/Employment Support

Rules that help beneficiaries with disabilities go to work by continuing SSI payments and/or Medicaid.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

SSDI is authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act. SSDI provides benefits to disabled or blind individuals who are "insured" by workers' contributions to the social security trust fund. These contributions are the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) social security tax paid on their earnings or those of their spouses or parents.

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency

The organization is each state, the District of Columbia or U.S. Territory, that is the designated governmental entity responsible for providing vocational rehabilitation services to people with disabilities residing within it's jurisdiction. In some states a separate State Vocational Rehabilitation agency also exists to provide assistance to individuals with a visual impairment.

Subsidies and Special Conditions

Supports received on the job that could result in more pay than the actual value of the services performed. The SSA would deduct the value of subsidies and special conditions from the earnings when determining SGA.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)

The SSA evaluates the work activity of people claiming or receiving disability benefits under SSDI, and/or claiming benefits because of a disability (other than blindness) under SSI. Under both programs, earning guidelines are utilized to evaluate work activity to decide whether the work activity is substantial gainful activity and whether a beneficiary would be considered disabled under the law. While this is only one of the tests use to determine disability, it is a critical threshold in disability evaluation.

Supplemental Security Program (SSI)

SSI is authorized under Title XVI of the Social Security Act. SSI makes cash assistance payments to qualified aged, blind, and disabled people (including children under 18) who have limited income and resources.

Trial Work Period (TWP)

The trial work period is an incentive for the personal rehabilitiation efforts of SSDI beneficiaries who work. The trial work period lets a beneficiary work or run a business for nine months and continue to receive full SSDI benefits no matter how high the earnings are if the impairment does not improve. The nine months do not have to be consecutive. They are cumulative, and qualifying months are counted over any 60 month period of time.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Those services identified in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which are provided in an individualized plan for employment. There services are necessary to assist an individual with a disability in preparing for, securing, retaining, or regaining an employment outcome that is consistent with the strengths, capabilities, interests, and informed choice of the individual.