Disability Scoop: Settlement Will Send Millions To SSI Beneficiaries
SSA
Social Security Administration Announces 2024 Cost of Living Adjustment
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 23-103: Social Security Administration (SSA) Announces 2024 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). This announcement discusses the upcoming COLA increase to the Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment, beginning in January 2024. Please view the announcement for further information and details.
Social Security Proposes Change To SSI Benefits
OLTL Issues Info on Personal Care Home SSI Supplement
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) issued information and clarification on the recent increase to the Personal Care Home (PCH) Supplement for PCH residents currently receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or currently meeting SSI disability and income criteria while applying for SSI.
In August of 2022, the Pennsylvania legislature approved an increase to the PCH Supplement, retroactive to July 1, 2022. The supplement was increased from $439.30 to $639.30 for individuals and from $957.40 to $1357.40 for married couples. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers both the federal SSI benefit and the PCH supplement. In January 2023, SSA applied the increase and began issuing retroactive payments in lump sums.
As indicated in the Personal Care Home regulations, 55. PA Code Chapter 2600, “If a home agrees to admit a resident eligible for SSI benefits, the home’s charge for actual rent and other services may not exceed the SSI resident’s actual current monthly income reduced by the current personal needs allowance.”
For the purpose of applying the regulations to the PCH Supplement increase, a resident’s actual monthly income should be calculated by including the increased PCH supplement beginning July 1, 2022, and applied as follows:
- Residents and/or Representative Payees are expected to provide these retroactive payments to the PCH.
- If a resident was admitted to a PCH between July 1, 2022, and the issuance of the retroactive benefit, the PCH is only entitled to the monthly increase for the months that the resident resided in the PCH.
- If the resident lived in another PCH prior to admission to their current PCH, the resident and/or representative payee should ensure that the appropriate monthly portions of the retroactive benefit are paid to both the discharging and admitting facilities.
- Resident-Home Contracts are not required to be updated for the retroactive benefit; however, contracts are required to reflect the actual charges for room, board, and services no later than March 31, 2023.
Questions about the status of individual retroactive and/or monthly SSI and PCH Supplement payments can be addressed by calling SSA at 800-772-1216. Additional questions about the application of the retroactive PCH Supplement increase can be directed via email. For information about applying for SSI and or the PCH Supplement, please contact your local agency.
Social Security Administration (SSA) Announces 2023 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
ODP Announcement 22-127 reports that, effective January 2023, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will increase the SSI allotment by 8.7 percent to reflect an increase in the cost of living. This raises the maximum monthly income to $914 for an eligible individual, $1,371 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $458 for an essential person. To account for the new Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), Room and Board contracts should be reviewed to determine appropriate adjustment. The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has finalized a new Room and Board Residency Agreement § 6100.687 (DP 1077), which can be accessed here.
If a provider has already begun the process of adjusting the room and board payment for 2023 using the DP 1051, this form will continue to be accepted as current until the annual due date or until a change requires that a new form is completed. The provider must use the DP 1077 at the next annual due date or when there is a change
If you have any questions, please reach out to your ODP Regional Office.
SSA Announces 2022 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
ODP Announcement 21-091 provides notice that the Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment will increase beginning January 2022. Effective January 2022, the SSA increased the SSI allotment by 5.9 percent to reflect an increase in the cost of living. This raises the maximum monthly income to $841 for an eligible individual, $1,261 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $421 for an essential person. There is no anticipated increase in the State Supplementary Payment (SSP) for 2022.
To account for the new COLA, Room and Board contracts should be reviewed to determine appropriate adjustment for those living in homes operated by Residential Habilitation or Life Sharing providers who collect room and board fees from individuals enrolled in the Consolidated, Community Living, and Adult Autism Waivers and providers of base-funded residential habilitation and life sharing services.
SSI is a federal program that provides benefits to adults and children who meet the SSA’s requirements for disability, income, and resources. This income benefit is designed to help qualified individuals meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. Periodically, a COLA affects the maximum monthly allotment.
The Room and Board Contract (DP 1051) is found on MyODP.org at the following path: Resources > Intellectual Disability > Forms. Office of Developmental Programs. Beginning July 1, 2020, the requirements for Room and Board as established in 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6100 must be followed.
ODP is in the process of replacing the DP 1051 form to reflect Sections §§6100.681–6100.694 that providers will begin to use. The current DP 1051 will continue to be accepted as current until the annual due date or until a change requires that a new form is completed.
ODP will be releasing a bulletin to stakeholders regarding the new room and board requirements with the 6100 regulations. This bulletin will also inform stakeholders of the new form and where it can be found on myodp.org.
Improvements to Social Security’s Representative Payee Program Recommended
The Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB) has released a report this month outlining recommendations on how to strengthen the Representative Payee Program of the Social Security Administration (SSA). This report is the result of a two-year study of the current Representative Payee Program serving more than 8 million vulnerable beneficiaries/recipients, including children and adults.
The five section report includes short-term recommendations to SSA and Congress, and also advocates for the Office of Management and Budget to pursue long-term structural changes which will involve comprehensive government-wide coordination efforts and cross-agency reforms. More information, as well as a link to the full report, is available on the SSAB website.