Social Security

We will not review your disability as long as you make progress in the Ticket to Work program. (If we started a disability review before you began participating, we will finish the review.) If you have any questions about the Ticket to Work program, call the Ticket Call Center, toll-free at 1-866-968-7842, or TTY 1-866-833-2967.

Your participation in the Ticket to Work program began when you signed an agreement with an employment network or state vocational rehabilitation agency. With their help, you developed an employment plan. While you are in the program, we will review your progress in achieving the goals of your employment plan every 12 months.

We will review your progress. The following table explains how we determine whether you are making timely progress. In addition to the items in this chart, earning a high school diploma/GED will satisfy the educational requirement for the first 12-month review.

If we find you are not making progress in the Ticket to Work program, we may begin a medical review to see if you are still disabled. You may continue in the Ticket program even if we find that you are not making progress.

Whenever you think you are making progress again, you should contact the Ticket Call Center.

They will make a decision about your progress. As long as you meet the disability rules, qualify to participate in the Ticket to Work program and start making progress as expected, we will not begin a medical review.

We have Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) organizations in many areas. Their staff members can help you understand how work affects your benefits. Get more information about WIPAs on the next page.

If you disagree, you can ask Social Security to review the decision. You have to ask for a review of the decision within 30 days after the date we send you the decision. Once we make our decision, we will send you a letter explaining it.

If you have completed your trial work period, are working and have substantial earnings, we may stop your Social Security disability benefits. We can quickly start your benefits again if your income drops or you stop work.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are reduced until your earnings have reached a high enough level that you no longer receive your benefit payment. We count less than one-half of your earnings when figuring your SSI payment amount.

For a complete explanation of how earnings affect your benefits, get a copy of Working While Disabled—How We Can Help (Publication No. 05-10095). You can get a copy by visiting Social Security Publications or calling our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Your Medicare may continue for at least 8½ years after you start to work if you are still disabled. Your Medicaid may also continue, depending on the state where you live and the amount of your earnings.

Contact your WIPA organization. These organizations are located across the country to answer the questions you have about working. Talking with one of their counselors will help you understand and use the work incentives available to you.

WIPA organizations give information and assistance to people who are receiving Social Security or SSI disability benefits and attempt to work.

Their staff will:

• Contact people getting Social Security or SSI disability payments (and their families) to tell them about ways that Social Security supports work efforts;
• Help people understand how work affects their payments;
• Help people find the right employment network to help them go to work; and
• Explain what other federal, state and local supports are available to help people with disabilities who work.

For more information about the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance organizations and other support programs, visit The Work Site, or call the toll-free number.

For more information about the Ticket to Work program, call the Ticket Call Center, toll-free at 1-866-968-7842, or TTY 1-866-833-2967. Or, you can visit www.yourtickettowork.com.

Our website is a valuable resource for information about all of Social Security’s programs. There are a number of things you can do online.

In addition to using our website, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. We treat all calls confidentially. We can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. We can provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. (You can use our automated response system to tell us a new address or request a replacement Medicare card.) If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

We also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls.