Social

Security

Ticket To Work And Work Incentives Improvement Act Of 1999

www.ssa.gov

Ticket To Work And Work Incentives

Improvement Act Of 1999

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives 

Improvement Act of 1999 was enacted on 

Dec. 17, 1999. This law:

• Increases beneficiary choice in obtaining 

rehabilitation and vocational services.

• Removes barriers that require people with 

disabilities to choose between health care 

coverage and work.

• Assures that more Americans with disabilities

have the opportunity to participate in the 

workforce and lessen their dependence on 

public benefits.

The provisions of the law become effective at 

various times, generally beginning one year 

after enactment. They are described below.

Ticket To Work And

Self-Sufficiency Program

Starting in 2001, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability beneficiaries will receive a “ticket” they may use to 

obtain vocational rehabilitation and other 

employment support services from an approved 

provider of their choice. The program is voluntary. The program will be phased in nationally 

over a three–year period. During the first phase, 

in 2001, SSA will distribute tickets in 13 states: 

Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, 

Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, 

Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and 

Wisconsin. Additional states will be announced 

in the near future. For more information call 

Maximus, Inc., the Ticket Program Manager at 

1-866-968-7842 (TTY 1-866-833-2967).

Expanded Availability Of 

Health Care Services

As of Oct. 1, 2000, the law expands 

Medicaid and Medicare coverage to more 

people with disabilities who work.

States may provide Medicaid coverage to 

more people who are still working. States may 

permit working individuals with income above 

250 percent of the federal poverty level to 

purchase Medicaid coverage. This provision

creates an experiment in which medical assistance will be provided to workers with impairments who are not yet too disabled to work. In 

addition, a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant program is available to support state efforts to 

increase employment options for people with 

disabilities. To find out if this provision is available in your state, call the state Medicaid office 

in your area.

The law expands Medicare coverage to

people with disabilities who work. It extends 

Part A premium–free coverage for 93 months 

after the trial work period for most Social

Security disability beneficiaries who work. 

Expedited Benefits

Effective Jan. 1, 2001, when a person’s Social 

Security or SSI disability benefits have ended 

because of earnings from work, he or she would 

be able to request reinstatement of benefits, 

including Medicare and Medicaid, without filing 

a new application.
Social Security Administration 

SSA Publication No. 05-10060

June 2001 (Recycle prior edition)

ICN 463261

Unit of Issue - HD (one hundred)

Printed on recycled paper

Beneficiaries must be unable to work because 

of their medical condition. They must file the 

request for reinstatement with Social Security 

within 60 months from the month their benefits 

are terminated. In addition, they may receive 

temporary benefits—as well as Medicare or 

Medicaid—for up to six months while their case 

is being reviewed. If they are found not disabled, 

these benefits would not be considered an 

overpayment.

Disability Reviews Postponed

Effective Jan. 1, 2001, an individual using a 

“ticket” will not need to undergo the regularly 

scheduled disability reviews. The following year, 

Jan. 1, 2002, Social Security disability beneficiaries who have been receiving benefits for at least 

24 months will not be asked to go through a disability review because of the work they are 

doing. However, regularly scheduled medical 

reviews could still be performed and benefits 

could be terminated if earnings were above 

the limits.

Work Incentives

Advisory Panel

The law establishes a Work Incentives Advisory 

Panel within Social Security, composed of 12 

members appointed by the President and Congress. The panel is to advise the Commissioner 

and report to Congress on implementation of 

the ticket program. At least one–half of the 

panel members are required to be individuals 

with disabilities or representatives of individuals 

with disabilities, with consideration given to 

current or former Social Security disability 

beneficiaries.

Work Incentives 

Outreach Program

The law directs Social Security to establish a 

community-based work incentives planning and 

assistance program to disseminate accurate 

information about work incentives and to give 

beneficiaries more choice. Social Security has 

established a program of cooperative agreements and contracts to provide benefits planning and assistance to all Social Security 

disability beneficiaries, including information 

about the availability of protection and advocacy 

services.

The law also directs Social Security to establish a corps of work incentives specialists within 

Social Security offices. These specialists, which 

SSA calls Employment Support Representatives 

or ESRs, provide timely and accurate information about SSA’s employment support programs 

for beneficiaries with disabilities who want to 

work.

Protection And Advocacy

The law authorizes Social Security to make

payments to protection and advocacy systems 

established in each state to provide information, advice and legal services to disability 

beneficiaries. 

Demonstration Projects

And Studies

The law extends Social Security disability insurance demonstration authority for five years. 

Under the law, Social Security is required to 

conduct a demonstration project to test reducing Social Security disability insurance benefits 

by $1 for each $2 that a beneficiary earns over a 

certain amount. The implementation date for 

this demonstration will be announced.

For More Information

Check our work Internet website at 

www.ssa.gov/work for answers to many of the 

questions you may have about work incentives 

and other employment supports you may need. 

This site contains useful information for beneficiaries, employers, advocates, providers, parents, caregivers and others interested in people 

with disabilities who want to work. Or you may 

call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-

325-0778). We treat all calls confidentially 

whether they’re made to our toll-free numbers 

or to one of our local offices.