Benefits Basics

PUBLIC BENEFITS BASICS

Public Benefit programs come in two categories

Entitlements

Benefits Based on Need

Social Security

	A disabled child may be eligible for Social Security if a parent is eligible and the child's disability began before age 22.
	Benefits do not become payable until the eligible parent dies, retires, or becomes disabled.
	Social Security is not affected by the child's assets, but the child's income may result in reduced benefits.

Supplemental Security Income

	SSI is a federal program, administered by the states, and is based on need.
	SSI is designed to provide a minimum level of monthly income to disabled individuals.
	SSI is intended to pay for the beneficiary's food, clothing, and shelter, but nothing more.

Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people over 65 and people under 65 who have been receiving Social Security based on disability for two or more years.

Medi-Cal

	Medi-Cal is a federally funded program administered by California.
	Eligibility and coverage are subject to federal guidelines.
	Eligibility employs an income and a resource test.
	A disabled person eligible for SSI is automatically eligible for Medi-Cal , subject to the income and resource tests.

BASICS OF SSI ELIGIBILITY RESOURCES

Exempt assets are not counted in determining eligibility, and the beneficiary's ownership of them will not jeopardize his/her SSI benefits.

Exempt Resources:

	A home, if the beneficiary has an ownership interest and it serves as his/her principal residence.
	Household goods
	Special medical equipment is excluded without a dollar limit.
	One automobile or other vehicle including a wheelchair van.
	Life insurance policies with cash surrender value, if their total face values amount to less than $1,500.
	All term life insurance.
	A burial plot or other burial space worth any amount.

If an SSI beneficiary receives at least $1 of SSI , the beneficiary then receives Medi-Cal automatically.