Friday, January 30, 2009

Mathern Co-Sponsors Disability Bill in North Dakota

State Senator Tim Mathern once again shows his commitment to people with disabilities in North Dakota by introducing Senate Bill 2383. The bill affords to an employer, a $5,000 and $2,000 tax credit for hiring a full-time or part-time (respectfully) person with a disability.

BILL

The bill was also supported by: Senators Fiebiger,Oehlke and Representatives N. Johnson, Onstad

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Thursday, January 29, 2009

BPQY Required Releases - Eastern

In order to obtain a Benefits Planning Query (BPQY), a very useful document from SSA when it comes to benefits planning, you must use the following 2 releases. These already have Mark's name/info filled in and is the appropriate release to use for those of you in the Eastern 1/2 of the state. For those of you in the West, releases with my (Terry) name/info is available HERE.

You can mail these, completed releases to Mark @:

Rehab Services, Inc.
Mark Mehlhoff
3350 35th Ave S.
Fargo, ND 58104

Please also include any other relevant agency releases we may need for benefits planning purposes (VR, HUD, Regional Human Services, etc.). This greatly expedites the benefits planning process.

Thanks!

Earnings Release 82508[1]

BPQY Release 90508 Final II[1]

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Ticket To Work Success Story

Great story on a person using work incentives to increase earnings.

Video

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Immediate Payments

A recent commenter reminded me of provisions within SSA for Immediate Payments under certain situations.

Immediate Payments (IP's) allow SSA to make expedited payments to beneficiaries in dire need. An IP is due because of a stop payment action, nonpayment, or a newly processed claim. The benficiary must have an immediate financial need for payment (i.e., a need for food, shelter, medical treatment, etc.) that cannot reasonably be met through other resources available in the community.

This provision may be very important to know of during the initial waiting period if dire need arises.

For more details, please see: DI and/or SI

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Social Security Expands Fast-Track Disability Processes

"In practical terms, this means that this year 100,000 to 125,000 disabled Americans -- those with the most severe disabilities -- will be approved for benefits in about 10 days instead of waiting the three to four months it typically takes for an initial decision," Commissioner Astrue said. "These initiatives are truly a lifeline for those who need it most."

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel Established


The Office of Program Development and Research (OPDR) is in the final stages of assembling a federal advisory panel, the Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel (OIDAP), to provide expert guidance to the Occupational Information Development Project (OIDP).

SSA initiated the OIDP to work on replacing the Dictionary of Occupational Titles with an occupational information system designed for SSA's disability programs. Notification of the formation of the panel was published in the Federal Register on December 23, 2008.

The OIDAP will hold its inaugural meeting February 23-25, 2009. The panel is comprised of 11 external members and one SSA representative. Areas of expertise include occupational analysis, vocational rehabilitation, forensic vocational assessment, disability insurance programs, psychiatry, occupational rehabilitation, disability advocacy, and SSA disability programs and policy. Prospective panel members were contacted and have accepted their posts.

For general and meeting information, please visit the Panel’s website at www.ssa.gov/oidap.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

SSA's Astrue Praises President Obama

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, welcomed news reports that President Barack Obama wants to begin discussions on the future of entitlement programs, including Social Security.

“With all the other challenges President-elect Obama is facing, it would be understandable if he were to defer decisions on Social Security for a period of time,” Commissioner Astrue said. “He is showing true leadership in starting this process earlier rather than later, and everyone at the Social Security Administration stands ready to support this effort in every way we can.”

The Washington Post reports that President Obama:

"...pledged yesterday to shape a new Social Security and Medicare 'bargain' with the American people, saying that the nation's long-term economic recovery cannot be attained unless the government finally gets control over its most costly entitlement programs."

That discussion will begin next month, Obama said, when he convenes a “fiscal responsibility summit" before delivering his first budget to Congress. He said his administration will begin confronting the issues of entitlement reform and long-term budget deficits soon after it jump-starts job growth and the stock market.

"What we have done is kicked this can down the road. We are now at the end of the road and are not in a position to kick it any further," he said. "We have to signal seriousness in this by making sure some of the hard decisions are made under my watch, not someone else's."

Commissioner Astrue, who has led the agency since February 2007, is confirmed to a term that expires in January of 2013.

In its 2008 report on the financial health of the Social Security Trust Funds, Commissioner Astrue and his fellow Trustees indicated that, without changes, the Social Security Trust Fund will be exhausted by 2041 and there will be enough money to pay only about 78 cents for each dollar of scheduled benefits after 2041. The Trustees urged resolution of the issue soon to make sure Social Security continues to provide a foundation of protection for future generations.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

2009 Deeming Chart


Deeming is one of the most confusing and misunderstood processes SSA employs. For SSI recipients, certain peripheral incomes (i.e. spousal) may be "deemed" toward their own income when SSA calculates monthly SSI check amounts.

This is extremely important to know because "deemed" income may cause loss of SSI benefits and therefore medicaid eligibility.

Below is a deeming chart which illustrates - as effectively as a chart could - the 2009 break even points (point at which one would become ineligible for SSI) for various deeming scenarios.

Deeming Chart 2009 (1)

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

LLC Ruling


There are many questions regarding the interplay between SSA benefits and business structure. Structuring your business is an important decision and a recent ruling regarding LLC's and assets could help in deciding the best entity if you are a medicaid recipient.

OGC has issued an opinion on the LLC issue. The bottom line is that:

1. When an LLC member has conveyed property to the LLC, the member does not have a co-ownership or a transferable interest in the property and the property is not a resource attributable to the member.
2. The fact that an LLC may choose to have the entity taxed as a partnership or sole proprietorship does not alter the fact that property conveyed to the LLC is owned by the LLC, not by any of its members.
3. Property owned by an LLC (and thus, not by any of its members) cannot be excluded under the PESS provisions as property that an individual owns and uses in a trade or business.
4. An LLC member's distributional interest in the LLC, like stock in a corporation, cannot be excluded as PESS and is a resource to the extent that it can be converted to cash and used for food or shelter.

If you have a business set up as an LLC, please be aware of the potential consequences of the LLC structure, including loss of Medicaid.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

BPQY Required Releases - Western

In order to obtain a Benefits Planning Query (BPQY), a very useful document from SSA when it comes to benefits planning, you must use the following 2 releases. I've already filled in my name for those of you in the western 1/2 of the state. For those of you in the east, releases with Mark's name/info can be found HERE.

You can mail completed releases to myself @:

Rehab Services, Inc.
Terry Peterson
112 2nd Ave. SW
Minot, ND 58701

Please also include any other relevant agency releases we may need for benefits planning purposes (VR, HUD, Regional Human Services, etc.). This greatly expedites the benefits planning process.

Thanks!

BPQY Release 90808 #1

Earnings Release 82508 #2

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Monday, January 26, 2009

Medicare Premiums for 2009



Part A: (Hospital Insurance) Premium

Most people do not pay a monthly Part A premium because they or a spouse has 40 or more quarters of Medicare-covered employment.
The Part A premium is $244.00 per month for people having 30-39 quarters of Medicare-covered employment.
The Part A premium is $443.00 per month for people who are not otherwise eligible for premium-free hospital insurance and have less than 30 quarters of Medicare-covered employment.

Part B: (Medical Insurance) Premium
$96.40 per month*

Medicare Deductible and Coinsurance Amounts for 2009:

Part A: (pays for inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, and some home health care) For each benefit period Medicare pays all covered costs except the Medicare Part A deductible (2009 = $1,068) during the first 60 days and coinsurance amounts for hospital stays that last beyond 60 days and no more than 150 days.
For each benefit period you pay:

A total of $1,068 for a hospital stay of 1-60 days.
$267 per day for days 61-90 of a hospital stay.
$534 per day for days 91-150 of a hospital stay (Lifetime Reserve Days).
All costs for each day beyond 150 days
Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance

$133.50 per day for days 21 through 100 each benefit period.

Part B: (covers Medicare eligible physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment)

$135.00 per year. (Note: You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for services after you meet the $135.00 deductible.)



Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com