Articles from prior issues of The Advocate

May/June 2001

Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Training Seminar
by Paula Christofoletti, New Hampshire DDS

ON JANUARY 3, 2001, NADE IN NH sponsored a Ticket to Work/Work Incentives Seminar. A power point presentation was given by Sheila Lambert and Joan Halloran who both work in the Central Office of Administration for the NH State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency.

Sheila distributed a handout, which followed item for item the main points presented during the power point seminar.

Here are some of the highlights from the presentation:

Individuals with disabilities have greater opportunities for employment than ever before.

Despite increased opportunities, less than one-half of one percent of Social Security beneficiaries leave the disability rolls and return to work.

The fear of losing Medicare or Medicaid coverage is a risk that is an equal or greater work disincentive than the loss of cash benefits.

If only an additional one-half of one percent of the current Social Security beneficiaries were to cease receiving benefits as a result of employment, the savings to the Social Security Trust Funds and to the Treasury in cash assistance would total $3,500,000,000 over the work life of the individual.

The Ticket to Work and the Work Incentives Improvement Act aim to provide health care and employment preparation and placement services to individuals with disabilities that will enable these individuals to reduce their dependency on cash benefit programs.

To Encourage States to adopt the option of allowing individuals with disabilities to purchase

To provide Medicaid to individuals who earn over 250% of the federal poverty level.

To provide the individual with disabilities the option of maintaining Medicare coverage while they work.

To establish a return to work ticket program which will allow individuals with disabilities to seek the services necessary to get back to work.

Work activity will no longer trigger a CDR review.

The period of Medicare eligibility for people on SSDI extended by 4.5 years – for a total of 8.5 years once a person begins to work.

Expedited Reinstatement Of Disability Benefits: Benefits will be reinstated expeditiously for any individual whose benefits were terminated due to the performance of SGA. Must be filed within 60 months of termination.

Work Incentive Outreach Program: Established a network of Work incentives Specialists within Social Security.

Creates reforms so that people with disabilities can make their own choices about VR services—the ones that are best for them.

Program Manager for assisting SSA in administering program, recruiting employment networks, monitoring EN activities, facilitating consumer choice

Graduated phase in over the next three years l 13 Pilot States beginning in 1/01…. Arizona, New York, Colorado, Oklahoma, Delaware, Oregon, Florida, South Carolina, Illinois, Vermont, Iowa, Wisconsin, Massachusetts. l The ticket— confirms SSA’s agreement to pay an Employment Network for successfully assisting the beneficiary in working at a level that he no longer needs cash benefits; can be assigned to an EN of the beneficiary’s choice who is willing to accept the Ticket; Participation by beneficiaries is voluntary; Individuals actively using ticket will not be subject to CDR.

The EN is paid under an outcome or outcome/milestone system subsequent to the individual going to work.

A lively discussion followed the power point presentation. Sheila reminded us that, here, in NH, certain legislation will need to be passed if the Ticket to Work is to be successful here. She talked of the importance of having a Medicaid component which would serve as an increased incentive to get back to work.

The audience also posed questions regarding referrals to VR. In the future, will we refer claimants/beneficiaries to VR? What about denials? When the “Ticket” comes into being in NH, will there likely be a shift and referrals at the VR agency will be made only for those who are currently on benefits? Is it really a “Ticket to Failure?”

The general consensus was that the presentation was highly informative, and that there was a good balance of general information and of details.

Joan Halloran, who has served as a legislative liaison in Washington DC, was asked whom she thought President Bush might choose to be his new Commissioner of Social Security. NADE is currently very interested in the outcome of this decision and Joan offered her unique prospective regarding President Bush’s appointment for incoming SSA Commissioner.

In 2000, NADE in NH sponsored the following medical training seminars in coordination with Concord Hospital’s CME training program: treatment of fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and arthritis; treatment of the flu; specific psychotropic medications for mental illnesses.

In July 2000, NADE in NH sponsored a live presentation with Mark Lombardo, MD, neurologist, who spoke to the NH DDS on the subject of Multiple Sclerosis.