Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the Ticket To Work Program?
Social Security’s Ticket to Work program supports career development for Social Security disability beneficiaries age 18 through 64 who want to work. The Ticket program is free and voluntary. The Ticket program helps people with disabilities progress toward financial independence.
The Ticket Program is
a good fit for people who want to improve their earning potential and are committed to preparing for long-term success in the workforce. Ticket to Work offers beneficiaries with disabilities access to meaningful employment with the assistance of Ticket to Work employment service providers called Employment Networks (EN). If you are ready to go to work, the Affinity Employment Network is waiting to help you!
The Ticket Program and Work Incentives
allow you to keep your benefits while you explore employment. Your cash benefits and Medicaid (Medi-Cal) or Medicare often continue throughout your transition to work, and there are protections in place to help you return to benefits if you find you are unable to continue working due to your disability.
Where is my Ticket?
If you are receiving Social Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and are between the ages of 18 and 64, you qualify for the Ticket to Work Program. The Social Security Administration no longer sends out paper Tickets. Your Social Security number now serves as your “Ticket.”
How Does the Program Work?
The Ticket Program is flexible and voluntary – Social Security Administration beneficiaries are not mandated to participate and in most cases, Employment Networks can choose which services they want to provide and to whom they want to provide them. Eligible Ticket holders can contact one or more ENs to discuss services and once an agreement between the beneficiary and EN is reached, the two work together to develop a work plan to assist the beneficiary in reaching his or her goal.
Every month a Ticket-holder is employed at a certain wage level, ENs receive revenue.
What are the advantages of using the Ticket to Work Incentives?
While you are actively participating in the Ticket to Work program, you can get the help you need to find the job that is right for you and you can safely explore your work options without losing your benefits.
- You can easily return to benefits if you have to stop working (known as “expedited reinstatement of benefits”)
- You can continue to receive health care benefits
- You will not receive a medical continuing disability review (CDR) while using your Ticket if you are making Timely Progress.
How does work affect my monthly cash benefits?
First, you should know that if you go back to work, you would NOT automatically lose your disability benefits. The Ticket to Work “work incentives” allows you to keep your cash benefits and Medicare or Medicaid (Medi-Cal) while you test your ability to work.
For beneficiaries in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, there is a Trial Work Period (TWP) during which you can receive full benefits regardless of how much you earn, as long as you report your work activity and income and continue to have a disabling condition.
The Trial Work Period continues until you accumulate nine months (not necessarily consecutive) in which you earn more than the Trial Work Level amount of $970 a month in gross wages in 2022. The Trial Work Level amount goes up a little each year. If necessary, you can have up to 60 months to complete the Trial Work Period.
After the Trial Work Period ends, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility during which your benefits will stop for the months your earnings are at a level the Social Security Administration considers Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), currently $1,350 in 2022. (This amount goes up a little each year.) A higher SGA amount applies to people who are disabled because of blindness. The monthly SGA amount for statutorily blind individuals for 2022 is $2,260.
During the 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility, your benefits start again if your earnings fall below the SGA level and you continue to have a disabling impairment. For more information about work incentives, we recommend that you read the SSA pamphlet, Working While Disabled-How We can Help.
If you are a SSDI beneficiary and have Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE), you can use them to offset some of your gross earnings when Social Security determines if your work represents Substantial Gainful Activity. These write-offs are also available to SSI beneficiaries to reduce their earned income. IRWEs are items or service you need to work because of your disability and you pay for them yourself. Examples include, attendant care services, service animals, medical devices, prescription drugs and residential modifications.
For beneficiaries receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) your work may affect the amount of your monthly check. However, the Social Security Administration does not count the first $65.00 of earnings in a month plus one-half of the remainder. This means that less than one-half of your earnings are counted when SSA figures your SSI payment amount. You may still qualify for other work incentives, such as Ticket to Work, and continue to receive Medicaid (Medi-Cal).
What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California)?
Medicare is an insurance program. Medical bills are paid from trust funds that those covered have paid into. Medicare primarily serves people over age 65, regardless of their income; and serves younger individuals with disabilities and dialysis patients. Monthly premiums are required for non-hospital coverage and prescription drugs. Medicare is a federal program. It is basically the same everywhere in the United States and is run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency of the federal government.
Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) is an assistance program. Medi-Cal bills are paid from federal, state and local tax funds. Medi-Cal serves low-income people of every age. Patients usually pay no part of costs for covered medical expenses. A small co-payment is sometimes required. Medicaid is a federal-state program. It varies from state to state. State and local governments within federal guidelines run it.
For more information about Medicare, please go to https://www.medicare.gov.
For more information on Medicaid, please go to https://www.medicaid.gov.
For more information on Medi-Cal, please go to http://www.medi-cal.ca.gov.
If I go to work, will I automatically lose my Medicare or Medicaid (Medi-Cal)?
As long as you keep receiving a benefit check of any amount, you will keep your health insurance. If you earn enough that your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) checks stop, Medicare can continue for up to 93 months. If you currently receive Medicaid (Medi-Cal), you should be eligible to continue to receive Medi-Cal even after you stop receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits due to work. To be eligible you need to meet certain requirements, which include earnings below a threshold amount set by your state. Even if your earnings exceed the state threshold, you may still be eligible and should talk to your state Medicaid office.
For more information about Keeping Your Medical Benefits after cash benefits stop, visit https://www.ssa.gov/redbook/ and https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/1619b.htm.
How do I sign up with the Affinity Employment Network?
Call us for an initial meeting or conversation. Toll free at 1-855-879-2236. You can also complete the Interest Form and we will contact you. We will conduct an initial interview in person or by phone to learn if you are a good fit for the program. If not, we will refer you to the appropriate organization that will best meet your needs.
If we mutually agree to work together, we will have you complete an Individual Work Plan/Application. Once we have that completed form, we will assign your Ticket to Work and get started helping you update your resume and cover letter, if necessary, and then assist you to find work.
What if I’m signed up with another Employment Network and I want to switch?
All Ticket holders can choose to find services from a different Employment Network at any time. If you think Affinity would be the best Employment Network to hold your Ticket and provide you service, just let us know and we can help you move through the simple process to make this happen. Your Ticket cannot be held two Employment Networks at the same time.