We Help Clients Nationwide Protect Their Social Security Disability Benefits While Testing Their Ability to Work Full-Time
Social Security disability programs provide vital health coverage and cash payments to recipients who cannot engage in substantial gainful activity due to severe medical impairments. Unfortunately, having the Social Security Administration (SSA) approve you for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can be extremely challenging, even when you have a qualifying condition and appear to meet all the other requirements.
Disability Determination Services (DDS)—the SSA division assigned to evaluate SSI and SSDI applications—denies up to 70 percent of claims in the first phase of its five-phase sequential evaluation. As a result, many applicants go through the equally grueling appeals process, wait and apply again, or simply give up. So, once you have SSI or SSDI benefits, it’s understandable that you would be concerned about doing anything that could potentially put them in jeopardy.
Fortunately, if your health has improved and you’re interested in testing your ability to work full time, participating in the SSA’s Ticket to Work program—and assigning your “ticket” to an approved Employment Network (EN) like Disability Services of America—can help keep your benefits safe.
Here’s what you should know about Ticket to Work and how Disability Services of America helps ticketholders who assign their tickets to our EN protect their benefits and prepare to reenter the workforce.
What Is Ticket to Work?
Ticket to Work is a free and voluntary program designed to help Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients who want work explore their capability for full-time employment without immediately losing access to crucial benefits.
Participation in this Social Security Administration (SSA) work initiative is open to beneficiaries ages 18 to 64. It offers free, wide-ranging career development and employment support services through approved Employment Networks (ENs) and State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies.
The Ticket to Work program encourages participants to become more financially independent and empowers them by providing a safety net. While you explore and secure employment, your disability benefits stay protected, allowing you to gradually transition back to work, gain confidence, and build a more stable financial future while keeping your medical coverage.
How Participating in the Ticket Program Protects Your SSI or SSDI Benefits
When you receive Social Security disability, the SSA conducts periodic evaluations to determine whether you still qualify for benefits based on your medical conditions. Undergoing one of these evaluations, known as a Continuing Disability Review (CDR), while working can be risky. If the SSA decides that you no longer meet its medical definition of disability, you could lose both health coverage and cash payments.
However, if you’re a Ticket to Work participant and you’ve assigned your ticket to an approved EN like Disability Services of America, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Participation in the Ticket program effectively blocks the SSA from performing CDRs that could otherwise jeopardize your SSI or SSDI benefits. With your benefits protected, you can focus on building new skills and gaining valuable work experience, so you can enter the workforce with assurance, achieve greater independence, and improve your quality of life.
How do we know that being actively engaged in Ticket to Work and assigning your ticket keeps your SSI or SSDI benefits safe? It says so right here in this SSA manual. If your disability case comes up for review at a field office or processing center, the examiner sees that you are protected from CDRs based on your Ticket program participation. It then defers the medical review until it’s initiated for a reason unrelated to work activity.
Non-Work Factors That Could Trigger a Continuing Disability Review
Working isn’t the only thing that could cause the SSA to review your SSI or SSDI claim. You might also face a CDR due to:
- Your age. If you were young when the SSA first approved your disability benefits, the agency might decide to reassess your condition to see if it has improved as you've aged.
- Scheduling. When approving claimants for benefits, the SSA sometimes schedules periodic reviews based on your prognosis. For example, if your condition is expected to improve, it may schedule a review of your claim every three to seven years.
- Medical improvement. If the SSA learns that your medical condition has significantly improved, it might initiate a CDR. This type of information could come from you, your health care providers, or other medical sources.
- Failure to comply with your medical plan. When you discontinue care that could improve your medical condition or refuse to follow your treatment plan as prescribed by your doctors, the SSA may start a CDR to determine if your benefits should continue.
Assigning Your Ticket to Our SSA-Approved Employment Network
Are you considering reentering the workforce or getting a job for the first time? The Ticket to Work program connects you with free career development services to support a successful transition. However, before you begin working, you must assign your ticket to Disability Services of America, or another Employment Network (EN) or State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency.
Fortunately, assigning your ticket is easier than it sounds. All you have to do is contact us and let us know you’re interested in the Ticket to Work program. We’ll confirm your eligibility with the SSA and help you enroll. The SSA no longer sends paper “tickets” to participants, so we can start working with you as soon as we receive the go-ahead.
Exploring Our Free Career Development Services for Ticket to Work Participants
Disability Services of America offers free, wide-ranging employment support services to help clients prepare for employment, reenter the workforce, and succeed in a meaningful job or career. Our services are particularly useful for SSI beneficiaries who have never worked and SSDI recipients who haven’t worked in some time and aren’t sure what kind of job to do or what skills they might need.
We help ticketholders identify jobs aligning with their interests and abilities, develop achievable goals, and connect with local resources to help them shine in the workplace. Our services include:
- Career counseling. Receive valuable guidance and support as you plan your return (or entry) to the workforce.
- Goal development. Work with our experienced employment professionals to set achievable and highly personalized goals for your Ticket to Work journey.
- Community Partner Work Incentive Coordinators benefits counseling. Get help navigating the Ticket program’s intricacies and learn how working full-time could impact your SSI or SSDI benefits.
- Individualized Work Plan creation. Outline the steps and services needed to accomplish your employment goals in a customized work plan.
- Resumé development and interview practice. Work with our professionals to craft an effective resumé and brush up on your interview skills with our practice interview sessions.
- Labor market research. Gain insight into job trends, demands, and opportunities in various industries or regions.
- Job placement and development. Get resources and support to find and secure employment opportunities aligning with your skills and preferences.
- EEOC and ADA advocacy. Ensure fair treatment and workplace accommodations by learning about your Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rights and how to exercise them.
- Ongoing employment support. Take advantage of continuous assistance and guidance to maintain employment success, address challenges, and maximize job satisfaction.
We Provide Exceptional Service, Whether You’re in Our Office or on the Other Side of the Country
Disability Services of America serves SSI and SSDI ticketholders nationwide. Our employment professionals provide the same great service for every client, regardless of whether you're sitting in our office in Elmhurst, Illinois, or in your home on the other side of the country. Get the support you need to prepare for employment, transition into the workforce, and enjoy a successful career.