5.1. Guide to Social Security Benefits (AIDS) Part 6 -- Helping You Return To Work
Description
This article is from the AIDS FAQ, by Dan Greening with numerous contributions by others.
5.1. Guide to Social Security Benefits (AIDS) Part 6 -- Helping You Return To Work
If you return to work, Social Security has a number of special rules,
called "work incentives," that provide cash benefits and continued
Medicare or Medicaid coverage while you work. They are particularly
important to people with HIV disease who, because of the recurrent
nature of HIV-related illnesses, may be able to return to work
following periods o disability.
The rules are different for Social Security and SSI beneficiaries. For
people getting Social Security disability benefits, they include a
9-month "trial work period" during which earnings, no matter how much,
will not affect benefit payments; and a 3-year guarantee that, if
benefits have stopped because a person remains employed after the
trial work period, a Social Security check will be paid for any month
earnings are below the "substantial" level (generally $500). In
addition, Medicare coverage extends through the 3-year timeframe after
the trial work period, even if your earnings are substantial.
SSI work incentives include continuation of Medicaid coverage even if
earnings are too high for SSI payments to be made, help with setting
up a "plan to achieve self-support" (PASS), and special consideration
for pay received in a sheltered workshop so that SSI benefits may
continue even though the earnings might normally prevent payments.
These and other work incentives are explained in detail in the
publication, Working While Disabled...How Social Security Can Help
(Publication No. 05-10095). For a free copy, just call or visit your
nearest Social Security office.
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