SSA admits it's time for new tickets........

For those of us who help clients in the disability process, simply the admission by the agency that post entitlement options need reexamination is a step forward.

For a thorough discussion of work incentives, visit Scarborough's blog.

This is something we will watch.


‘Ticket to Work’ Program Underutilized


Monday, June 2, 2008
Erin Smith, Staff Writer offers the following:

The Social Security Administration has announced changes to the rules for the “Ticket to Work” program, though the program has not garnered the response they had hoped.

Of the 10 million “tickets” issued nationwide by June 2007, only 171 had been activated, according to Social Security’s Technical Expert Tim Moore.

Moore told the Journal in an interview on Wednesday that he does not have specific numbers for individual states or local areas.

The program is federally funded and was signed into law in 1999. The first phase of Ticket to Work began in 2002 and in 2003,
the final phase of which North Carolina was a participant, was implemented. The program’s intent was to expand providers available
to those with disabilities who are seeking vocational rehabilitation, employment and related services. The program is available in
all 50 states and the U.S. territories.

According to Moore, the program is managed by Maximus, Inc. located in Virginia. When an individual receives their information, they
contact Maximus and the company puts them in contact with the agencies also known as employment networks.

The process of determining who is qualified for Ticket to Work is an automated process, said Moore.

A person must be between the ages of 18 and 64 and receive Social Security disability benefits or SSI. Candidates are selected based
on an automated review, according to Moore.

“It is a voluntary program,” said Moore. “Just because they receive a ticket doesn’t mean they have to activate it. The main advantage
is, if they activate the ticket, while they are active in the process, there is no medical review.”

Commissioner of Social Security Michael J. Astrue said, “Beneficiaries with disabilities will have greater flexibility and expanded
choices in obtaining services they need to attain their employment.”

Social Security is in the process of recruiting more organizations to serve as employment networks and also trying to encourage
greater participation from those who receive tickets, according to Astrue.

The changes include allowing the participation of individuals for a ticket even if they are expected to medically improve;
modifications to the employment network payment systems to create greater financial incentives for providers to participate;
increase the value of the ticket to enable participants to take advantage of “a more effective combination of services from
the state vocational rehabilitation agencies and employment networks;” and better alignment of the Ticket to Work program,
the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program, the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security Program,
and other Social Security incentives.