SSI, People With Disabilities, and Reaching the Federal Poverty Level. Information Bulletin #366 (11/2012). Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is basically a federal program for people who are disabled (and older Americans). As of 2011, there were about 6.7 million people with disabilities who received SSI (another 1 million recipients were over 65). These people are the poorest of all the disabled people in the country. Most of them do not qualify for either Social Security or Medicare; some receive both SSI and Social Security, but combined only to the SSI level. Throughout the recent election campaign and well before that, there has been virtually no discussion, mention or let alone a moral outrage addressing a basic minimal, basic, livable support for people who struggle to survive on SSI. The current monthly federal SSI grant is $698 a month ($8,376 annually) for a single person and for a couple it’s $1,086 a month ($13,032 annually). SSI eligibility automatically triggers Medicaid eligibility. States have the option to provide a State Supplement to the federal SSI grant. Of the 6.7 million people with disabilities who somehow survive on SSI, only 1.6 million, who live in the community, receive a State Supplement. By and large, most States supplement SSI for persons who reside in personal care homes, Medicaid facilities, nursing homes, and other institutions – but not for people with disabilities who live independently in the community. The amount of institutional SSI State supplement is much higher than the SSI State supplement to live independently in the community. Hmmm. Sounds like another institutional bias, contrary to ADA’s “the most integrated setting” a la Olmstead. Let’s put the monthly federal SSI sums in some perspective. The federal poverty level is $10,890 for a single person and $14,710 for a couple, compared to the SSI federal $8,376 and $13,032 respectively. As inadequate as the federal poverty level is, it should be the bottom benchmark! For people with disabilities who must survive on SSI, they live on 75% of the federal poverty level for a single person and 83% of the FPL for a couple. This gap has been approximately the same for the last ten years. For those persons who reside in the community on SSI, to reach just the federal poverty level, the federal SSI grant (or a State supplement) would have to increase by $209 a month for a single person and $140 for a couple. Other than Alaska, no State provides that amount of a State Supplement for single persons with a disability who reside independently in the community. Only five States provide more than $140 a month for a couple. We all know how extremely difficult it is for a SSI recipient who is disabled to find a place to live that they can afford. The “2010 Priced Out” Report clearly demonstrated how the housing market overwhelmingly trumps the SSI grant. What advocates could do: 1. This is a federal issue. We do not believe any States will voluntarily increase their SSI State Supplements so people could afford to live healthy and safe lives independently in the community. 2. We need to make this a moral issue! It’s an outrage that the poorest disabled and elderly Americans are totally ignored and forgotten. 3. SSI cuts across all disability categories and the elderly. Therefore, increasing SSI is a great unifying and organizing issue. 4. Increasing the federal SSI amount even to the extremely inadequate federal poverty level is an economic stimulus on both a federal and State levels. People on SSI spend their entire grants just to survive, putting their entire grants into the economy. These are federal allocations well spent! 5. Where is the White House on this issue? Call the White House Domestic Policy, (202) 456-5594, and let them know. 6. Where are your U.S. Senators and House of Representatives who claim to represent and care about persons with disabilities and the elderly? Call them. Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at http://www.stevegoldada.com with a searchable Archive at this site divided into different subjects. Information Bulletins will also be posted on my blog located at http://stevegoldada.blogspot.com/ To contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada1@gmail.com or call 215-627-7100. Ext 227.