Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
Public Law 101-336 gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities
similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national
origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with
disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local
government services, and telecommunications.
For more information about the ADA, go to: www.ada.gov
Area Work Incentives Coordinator (AWIC)
The AWIC is a Social Security Administration employee who serves as an expert on SSA's work incentives and employment support programs in a specific geographic area of the country. He/she manages and coordinates work incentive training; conducts public outreach; and provides public support services to beneficiaries with disabilities who want to start or keep working and to other members of the community.
Beneficiary
An individual who receives either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Benefits Planning Query (BPQY)
The BPQY is a planning tool that can be used by Area Work Incentives Coordinators, Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS) Cadre employees and Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) projects to provide customized employment services to beneficiaries with disabilities who want to start or keep working. A BPQY provides a snapshot of a beneficiary's current status as
Blind Work expenses (BWE) (SSI)
If you are blind, we do not count any earned income that you use to meet expenses in earning that income when we decide your SSI eligibility and payment amount.
For example, BWEs include: transportation to and from work, income taxes, attendant care services, and service animal expenses.
For more information go to: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook/2010/blindrules.htm
BPAO
The Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach (BPAO) project was replaced by the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance project (WIPA) in October 2006.
Break-Even Point (SSI)
The dollar amount of total income that will (after applicable deductions are applied) reduce the SSI payment to zero in a given set of case facts. Your break-even point depends on your earned and unearned income, living arrangements, applicable income exclusions, and state supplement, if any. While useful for discussion purposes, this term does not appear in the SSI rules.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administers Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
For more information, go to: http://www.cms.hhs.gov
Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC)
A CWIC is employed by the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) project and works directly with Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities to assist them in their employment efforts. CWICs provide outreach to beneficiaries with disabilities and work incentives planning and assistance.
CWICs:
- Work in cooperation with Federal, State, private agencies, and nonprofit organizations that serve beneficiaries with disabilities;
- Conduct outreach to beneficiaries with disabilities (and their families), employment-related organizations, disability service providers, special education transition coordinators, and other groups and individuals who need information about SSA's Work Incentives and the Ticket to Work Program;
- Screen and refer beneficiaries with disabilities to appropriate Employment Networks based on the beneficiary's expressed needs and types of impairments;
- Provide general information on the adequacy of health benefits coverage that may be offered by an employer of a beneficiary with a disability and the extent to which other health benefits coverage may be available to that beneficiary in coordination with Medicare and/or Medicaid; and
- Provide information on the availability of protection and advocacy services for beneficiaries with disabilities and how to access such services.
Continuation of Medicare Coverage (SSDI)
You can receive at least 93 consecutive months of hospital and medical insurance after the trial work period. This provision allows health insurance to continue when you go to work and are engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA).
Continued Medicaid Eligibility
See Medicaid While Working [Section 1619(b)]
Continuing Disability Review (SSDI and SSI)
Our process of obtaining complete current information about your condition and any work activity to decide if your SSDI and/or SSI benefits should continue.
Cost Reimbursement Payment System
The system providing payment from the Social Security Administration to State vocational rehabilitation agencies and alternate participants for reasonable and necessary costs for vocational rehabilitation and other employment support services to SSDI and SSI beneficiaries with disabilities.
Countable Income (SSI)
The amount of money left after we have subtracted all available deductions from your total income. We use this amount to determine your SSI eligibility and payment amounts.
