Benefit Features
Benefit Features
MedicaidMedicaid is a joint state and federal program that provides health assistance to low-income individuals and families who meet federal and state eligibility criteria (see Special Topic: Eligibility for further information). Medicaid funding is not provided directly to beneficiaries, but rather is used to reimburse health care providers for services rendered to beneficiaries. At the federal level, Medicaid is overseen by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At the state level, different types of agencies oversee Medicaid, and agencies responsible for processing Medicaid applications and those responsible for providing Medicaid benefits may be housed within different departments. Eligibility criteria for Medicaid as well as services that will be reimbursed under Medicaid vary from state to state.
SSI/SSDISupplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are federal programs that provide assistance to certain low-income individuals with disabilities (see special topic Eligibility for further information). The SSI program provides monthly payments to beneficiaries to help meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. SSDI provides monthly payments to individuals who meet the same disability criteria as applicants to SSI, but have also earned income and paid federal insurance contributions (FICA) tax on such income for a certain period of time, depending on age. In addition, SSDI provides a benefit for spouses and dependent children of SSDI beneficiaries.
SSI and SSDI are both administered and funded through the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), although in some cases SSI may be supplemented with state funding. In such cases, applicants may have to meet additional criteria or complete additional paperwork in order to access a state SSI supplement.[1]
SSA has 10 regional offices that administer and oversee 1,300 local field offices, which process applications for SSI/SSDI, among other Social Security benefits. Disability determinations associated with applications for SSI/SSDI are completed through state-operated offices, usually called Disability Determination Services.[2]
[1] J. Rosen and Y. Perret, “An Overview of the Social Security Administration’s Disability Programs,” in Stepping Stones to Recovery (Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2005), chap. 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)
[2] Organization of Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov/otherssasites/#regions