JustCare

Tag: SSI

  • Congress must update insanely low asset limits for SSI benefits

    Congress must update insanely low asset limits for SSI benefits

    Today, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), along with Representatives Brian Higgins (D-NY-26) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), introduced the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act. 

    Social Security Works strongly endorses this important legislation and applauds its visionary cosponsors. The Supplemental Security Income program, a vital companion to Social Security, is a lifeline to millions of people with disabilities and seniors. Yet the last and only time Congress increased its stringent asset limits was forty years ago, in 1984. It is well past time that Congress update these limits, as the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act does.  

    As the name of the legislation indicates, the current, overly restrictive and out-of-date asset limits penalize savings. Even one dollar in savings above the limits of $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple results not just in the loss of SSI cash benefits but also can result in the loss of Medicaid, housing assistance, and other benefits. And the limits penalize marriage as well–married couples can only save three-fourths of the amount two individuals are allowed to save. Moreover, these stringent and intrusive limits are extremely costly for the Social Security Administration to administer. 

    Congress should immediately pass the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act into law. It should then eliminate the program’s other marriage penalties, as well as update and expand it in other ways.”

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  • What happens to people with Medicare and Medicaid when Biden declares end to public health emergency?

    What happens to people with Medicare and Medicaid when Biden declares end to public health emergency?

    As a result of the public health emergency declared in response to the COVID pandemic, many more people are enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid. But, as soon as July, the Biden administration is likely to end this emergency, and many dual-eligibles could lose their Medicaid coverage. Erin Weir Lakhmani of Mathematica reports in Health Affairs on the challenges dual-eligibles face and how to address them.

    Today about 12 million people have both Medicare and Medicaid. They are at particularly serious risk when states make redeterminations regarding their Medicaid eligibility. They tend to have multiple chronic conditions and to use long-term services and supports, including home care services and nursing home care, which Medicare does not cover.

    Without Medicaid, many of these people will be cut off from long-term services and supports. Medicaid support often enables them to age in place, remaining in their homes rather than having to move into a nursing home.

    Dual-eligibles are also more likely to struggle with renewing their Medicaid applications. Many have Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. And, many have low health literacy levels and might not understand Medicaid renewal notices even if they don’t have dementia. They will need help, which can be hard to come by.

    As a general rule, dual-eligibles lose Medicaid because they cannot manage the recertification process not because they no longer qualify. The issue isn’t a change in assets or income. They struggle to overcome the barriers and requirements their states impose to gain Medicaid eligibility.

    States are required to use ex parte processes to renew people’s Medicaid, if  possible, and not depend on dual-eligibles to complete forms. But, they tend not to use ex parte processes as much as they might. In order to determine whether people do not exceed asset limits, states tend to ask dual-eligibles to respond to requests to renew their Medicaid eligibility.

    When dual-eligibles lose Medicaid, they can suffer profoundly. They might forego or otherwise not be able to get important medical care if they lose Medicaid wrap-around coverage. In the long-term, that can raise costs for the states as it can lead to severe health consequences.

    What can be done?

    • If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Social Security Administration can determine Medicaid eligibility for you in 34 states.
    • States should use ex parte reviews more often.
    • States could also check to see whether dual-eligibles who are losing Medicaid qualify for Medicare Savings Programs, such as QMB or SLMB and Q-1 that help offset Medicare costs.

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  • Will Biden quickly replace Social Security leadership?

    Will Biden quickly replace Social Security leadership?

    Union heads are leading the fight to install new leadership at the Social Security administration. They want Commissioner Andrew Saul and Deputy Commissioner David Black out on day one. How quickly will President Biden replace them?

    The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) speaks for Social Security field office workers. The Association of Administrative Law Judges represents judges employed to make Social Security disability determinations. They say that neither the SSA Commissioner nor the Deputy Commissioner have any intention of either strengthening Social Security or supporting the reopening of its field offices post-pandemic.

    Under the Trump administration, Social Security has granted disability benefits to one hundred thousand fewer people in the period between July and November 2020 than it did in that same period in 2019.  It is estimated that, as a result, 230,000 individuals do not have access to SSI benefits, an average of $560 a month, or Medicaid.

    The Social Security Administration has also put into effect a group of policies that undermine Social Security. It has weakened the power of union workers. It closed its 1,200 field offices during the pandemic but did not let most employees work from home. And, the unions allege it is violating labor laws.

    McIntosh, president of the Association of Administrative Law Judges, said agency leadership has repeatedly violated federal labor laws in dealings with her union.

    Leadership has directed salaried staff beholden to them, and not independent judges, to make disability determinations. There is no apparent Covid-19 plan in place and no plan in place for reopening the Social Security Field Offices and making them safe for workers and visitors.

    Even though Saul and Black are political appointees, their term is not scheduled to end until 2025. That said, President Biden has the power to fire them for cause.

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  • Congress keeps Social Security from spending its own money to administer benefits effectively

    Congress keeps Social Security from spending its own money to administer benefits effectively

    It’s bad enough that Congressional leaders want to cut Social Security benefits. But did you know that Congress also is keeping Social Security from spending its own money to administer benefits effectively? Earlier this month, the Senate Appropriations Committee refused to allow the Social Security Administration (SSA) the $13.067 billion it needs–less than 1 percent of its budget–“to execute critical service delivery efforts” and ensure people have appropriate access to benefits.

    Instead, the Senate Appropriations Committee cut SSA’s administrative budget by 5.5% or $600,000. According to SSA, this means a serious cut in customer service, jeopardizing and delaying people’s access to benefits. To be crystal clear, the money the Appropriations Committee is denying SSA is SSA’s money, expressly for use by SSA, not general revenue.

    What exactly are the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee thinking? The Acting SSA Commissioner describes Social Security’s state of service as “fragile,” in her explanation of why it requires its full budget request. The Committee’s behavior makes no sense; it harms constituents and Social Security’s reputation.

    There are 65 million people in the U.S. receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), up more than 12 percent in the last five years. Yet, Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, and his members, have effectively cut SSA’s administrative budget. It is still $10.5 billion, what it was five years ago, with six million fewer enrollees.

    Keep in mind that almost all Social Security applicants are older adults or people with disabilities and many have mental impairments, low literacy levels and speak English as a second language. They often need personalized assistance. And, SSA is not authorized to spend as much funds as are needed to provide it.

    Kathleen Romig at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that in 2016 the typical caller to SSA must wait 15 minutes on hold and 10 percent of callers receive busy signals. Moreover, SSA has been forced to close almost 600 field and mobile offices since 2010, making it harder for people to apply for benefits. While you can apply online, staff at SSA need to do follow-up work for people applying for Social Security Disability Income and Supplemental Security Income. Adequate resources are not available.

    People whose applications are denied must now wait more than a year and a half to have their appeals heard, from 360 days in 2010 to 540 days today. Moreover, short-staffed, SSA is typically delaying paying widows benefits four months. The toll on lower income individuals who depend heavily on Social Security benefits to pay their rent, utilities, and for other basic needs can be devastating.

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