MBI Background.bmp TEXAS WORK INCENTIVESDepartment of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services Work Incentive Programs: Essential Supports for Employment Success! August 11, 2010 Sara Kendall This presentation was sponsored by the Texas MIG, which is part of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, DepartmentofAssistive and Rehabilitative Services. The MIG is funded through a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CFDA # 93.768). This presentation was sponsored by the Texas MIG, which is part of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, DepartmentofAssistive and Rehabilitative Services. The MIG is funded through MBI Background.bmp How often have you heard…. •If I go to work won’t I lose my benefits? •How do I get the skills and experience I need for a career without losing my benefits? •If I have to stop working I can’t get back my cash benefits orMedicaid/Medicare, can I? TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES Using work incentives will help the people you serve: Reduce their fear and misunderstanding about the effect of working on benefits. Prevents crisesthat result when change occurs. Improve their employment and economic outcomes through: -Increased employment rates; -Increased earnings; and -Decreased medical expenses. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES Meet the Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWIC) in your area: •Contact the CWICin your area to do onsite informational sessions for your company/agency. •Contact info for CWICscan be found at the end ofthis presentation. MBI Background.bmp SOME BASIC TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW •SSA:Social Security Administration •SSI:Supplemental Security Income •SSDI:Social Security Disability Insurance •WORK INCENTIVES:Both federal andstate-specific programs that are available to people with disabilities in return to work efforts. •HUD:Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES MBI Background.bmp SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE (SSDI): THE BASICS •SSDI –Cash Benefit: –Be disabled by SSA definition: and –Be “insured” or draw off “insured” worker who is disabled, retired, deceased. Amount varies based on work history. No asset test. •SSDI –Health Care: –Medicare (after 24 month waiting period). Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES MBI Background.bmp SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI): THE BASICS •SSI -Cash –Disabled by SSA definition; –Little to no assets; under $2,000 for an individual, $3000 for a couple; –Little to no income; and –Benefit Amount for 2010 is $674, $1,011 for a couple, reduced by other income. •SSI –Health Care –Medicaid. Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #1: I will lose my SSDI if I go to work FACT #1: Work Incentives let you keep SSDI cash check or status when you work! •Trial Work Period (time limited) •Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) •Subsidy/Unincurred Business Expense MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #2: If wages cause SSDI cash benefit to stop, there’s no way to get it back FACT #2: You can stay in eligibility status even when you don’t get a cash check! •Extended Period of Eligibility •Expedited Reinstatement MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #3: I will lose my SSI if I go to work FACT #3: Work Incentives let you keep SSI cash check or status when you work! •Basic Deductions: SSI reduced $1 for every $2 after first $65/$85 •Additional Deductions let you keep more: IRWE, BWE, SEIE, PASS MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #4: If wages cause SSI cash benefit to stop, there’s no way to get it back FACT #4: You can stay in eligibility status even when you don’t get a cash check! •1619(b) •Expedited Reinstatement MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #5: If I go back to work I will lose my medical Fact #5:You can keep medical when you work! •SSI/Medicaid--1619(b) •Texas Medicaid Buy-In •Continuation of Medicare •Medicare for People With Disabilities Who Work MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #6: There is no incentive for students to try working Fact #6:Students have a special rule that lets them keep more of their SSI when they work! •Student Earned Income Exclusion MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #7: There aren’t any resources to help me reach self-sufficiency Fact #7: There ARE work incentives that will match funds you set aside to pay for expenses related to a vocational goal! •Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS) •Individual Development Accounts (IDA) MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #8: If I work my rent will go up Fact #8: HUD has work incentives, too! •HUD’s Earned Income Disregard •Family Self-Sufficiency Program MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES 9 Myths and the Real Facts Myth #9: Working always results in overpayments Fact #9: There are strategies to prevent overpayments! •Report regularly. •Get a receipt from SSA to document you reported. •Get assistance from aCWICfor help developing astrategy and reporting earned income. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES YOUR AUSTIN AREA CWIC Valerie Williams ARCIL 825 E. Rundberg LN Suite E-6 Austin, TX 78753 1-800-414-6327 valerie@arcil.com Serving the following counties: Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Bosque, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Coryell, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Grimes, Hamilton, Hays, Hill, Lampasas, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Llano, Madison, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Robertson, San Saba. Travis, Washington and Williamson. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES YOUR TEXAS CWICs Crockett Resources for Independent Living 1020 Loop 304 East Crockett, TX 75835 crcil@windstream.net Serving the following counties: Anderson, Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Delta, Fannin, Gregg, Hardin, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Kaufman, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Rains, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES YOUR TEXAS CWICs Easter Seals North Texas 1555 Merrimac Circle Suite 102 Fort Worth, TX 76107 1-888-871-7171 Serving the following counties: Clay, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Grayson, Hood, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES YOUR TEXAS CWICs Houston Center for Independent Living 6201 Bonhomme Road Suite 150 South Houston, TX 77036 1-877-877-7082 Serving the following counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller and Wharton. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES YOUR TEXAS CWICs Valley Association for Independent Living 3012 N. McColl Road McAllen, TX 78501 1-956-668-8245 Serving the following counties: Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kennedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES YOUR TEXAS CWICs SAILS, Incorporated 1028 South Alamo San Antonio, TX 78210 1-800-474-0295 Serving the following counties: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Calhoun, Comal, DeWitt, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Jackson, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, La Salle, Lavaca, Maverick, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Wilson and Zavala. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES YOUR TEXAS CWICs Imagine Enterprises 1402 Spring Cess Lane Seabrook, TX 78501 1-888-635-6688 Serving the following counties: Andrews, Archer, Armstrong, Bailey, Baylor, Borden, Brewster, Briscoe, Brown, Callahan, Carson, Castro, Childress, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Collingsworth, Comanche, Concho, Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Crosby, Culberson, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Donley, Eastland, Ector, El Paso, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Gaines, Garza, Glasscock, Gray, Hale, Hall, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Haskell, Hemphill, Hockley, Howard, Hudspeth, Hutchinson, Irion, Jeff Davis, Jones, Kent, Kimble, King, Knox, Lamb, Lipscomb, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Midland, Mitchell, Moore, Motley, Nolan, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Pecos, Potter, Presidio, Randall, Reagan, Reeves, Roberts, Runnels, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Sherman, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher, Taylor, Terrell, Terry, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Upton, Ward, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Winkler, Yoakum and Young. MBI Background.bmp Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services TEXAS WORK INCENTIVES Want more information about the Medicaid Buy-In? Go to: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/MBI.html And don’t forget your Texas Workforce Solution Disability Program Navigators! To find a Navigator in your area go to: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/boards/disnav.html