WISE Ticket to Work Webinar
Ticket to Work: Support on Your Journey to Employment
April 22, 2020

Speakers: Sarah Hyland (Moderator), Ray Cebula (Presenter)

SARAH>> Good afternoon and welcome to today's Ticket to Work webinar, "Ticket to Work: Support on Your Journey to Employment." My name is Sarah Hyland, and I am a member of the Ticket to Work team. I will be your moderator for today's webinar. 

We're so glad you were able to take time to spend with us today to learn about the Social Security's Ticket to Work program and how it can help you as you start on your path to financial independence through work. Each of us has our own path to follow, and we hope you find some information today that will assist you in moving forward on your path to employment and financial independence. 

Let's get started by going over some functions of the webinar platform so that you can interact and get the most information out of today. First, you can manage your audio using the Audio option at the top of your screen. The audio option is an icon that looks like a microphone or a telephone. 

All attendee also be muted throughout today's webinar, thus, when presented with the options to join the audio conference, choose "Listen Only," which appears at the bottom right in the audio menu. Clicking "Listen Only" allows the sound to be broadcast through your computer speakers or your headphones. Please make sure your speakers are turned on or your headphones are plugged in. If you are unable to connect to audio with your computer or prefer to listen to webinar by phone, please dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter access code 4189148#. 

Next, we will share some information about webinar accessibility. On the Adobe Connect platform you will notice that on your screen there are four different boxes. These boxes are called "Pods." We have the presentation pod where the slides appear. Below that is the closed captioning pod. In the top right-hand corner, you will see the Q&A pod, and below the Q&A pod is the weblinks pod, and we will talk about these pods in more detail in a little bit. 

If you need assistance navigating Adobe Connect, an Accessibility User Guide with a list of controls is available at http://bit.ly/adobe-accessibility. This link is also available in the weblinks pod at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, and is titled "Adobe Accessibility User Guide." 

Real-time captioning is available and is displayed in the captioning pod, which is the pod that appears below the slide that is on your screen right now. The captioning link can be found in the weblinks pod under the title "Closed Captioning." 

If you're fluent in ASL and would like support for today's webinar, follow the link below that provides instructions to connect with an interpreter through the Federal Communications Commission, FCC, Video Relay Service, VRS. The ASL User Guide can also be found in the weblinks pod under "ASL User Guide." 

We are here today to answer questions you have on the Ticket to Work program. Please send your questions to us at any time throughout the webinar by typing them into the Q&A pod. We will direct the questions to our speaker during the Q&A portions of the webinar. We will be addressing questions today at three different points throughout the presentation, so go ahead and send those questions in, and we will do our best to answer as many of them as possible. If you are listening by phone and are not logged into the webinar, you may ask questions by sending an e-mail to Ticket to Work. That e-mail address is webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. 
 
Another resource available that we think you will find extremely helpful in connecting to different resources mentioned today is the weblinks pod, which you will find at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. This pod lists all of the links to the resources presented during today's webinar. To access any of these resources, simply highlight the topic that you are interested in and would like to connect to and then select the "Browse To" button at the bottom of the pod, and will you be taken to the weblink requested. If you are listening by phone and not logged into the webinar or don't have access to the weblinks pod, you can e-mail Ticket to work, the e-mail address being webinars@choosework.ssa.gov, or reference the confirmation e-mail you received for today's webinar for a list of available resources. Also, please note that SSA cannot guarantee and is not responsible for the accessibility of external websites. 

Today's webinar is being recorded, and a copy of it will be available within two weeks on the Choose Work website, which can be accessed at http://bit.ly/WISE_OnDemand. This link, as well as others, can be found in the weblinks pod that we just talked about at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, and it will be titled "WISE Webinar Archives." 

We hope everyone has a great experience on today's webinar; however, if you run into any technical difficulties, please use the Q&A pod to send us a message, or you can send us an e-mail at the Ticket to Work e-mail address webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. 

As I mentioned earlier, my name is Sarah Hyland, and I am a member of the Ticket to Work team. I'm excited to be here with you today as your moderator. We are delighted to have with us Ray Cebula. Ray received his law degree from the University of New Hampshire's Franklin Pierce School of Law. He spent 23 years providing legal services to individuals with disabilities in their interactions with Social Security. He became part of Cornell University's Work Incentive Support Center in 2000, and in 2005, he joined the staff of Cornell's Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, where he now serves as the program director of YTI Online, which is Cornell's Work Incentive Practitioner Credentialing Program. And thank you for joining us. 

Today, we are going to discuss how Social Security's Ticket program can help you in answering questions relating to Social Security's Ticket program, Ticket to Work service providers, work incentives and the Ticket program, phases of the path to work, and putting it all together. And with that, it is my pleasure to introduce Ray Cebula to start us off with Ticket to Work program and support on your journey to work, and service providers. Thanks, Ray. 

RAY>> Thank you, Sarah. It's great to be with everybody today in these strange times, and we are here today, as you can see on that slide, to talk about the Ticket to Work. We're not going to be talking about COVID-19 today. If you do want information about COVID-19, you can go to the Social Security website at https://www.ssa.gov/coronavirus/. It's also in your web link pod as "Social Security COVID Resources." We just don't want COVID to hijack the webinar, and we want to use our stay-at-home time to start thinking about what you might want to do and whether you want to start your journey to work when this crisis is over. So, thanks for cooperating with us, guys. 

We have two Social Security programs that we need to mention first off. Social Security Disability Insurance, it is exactly what it says, it's an insurance program. It provides benefits to workers with disabilities that meet the Social Security standards, and these workers have worked long enough and been paid enough to qualify by having FICA taxes removed from their wages. It also pays benefits to folks' dependents. 

The other program is SSI, the Supplemental Security Income program, which is a needs-based federal welfare program. It pays to the recipient. It does not pay to any dependents, and it does not require a work history. Everybody who does go to work who receives SSI, will be building that work history, and, ideally, will become eligible for the insurance program at the end of their work journey should they need that benefit. 

Why we point this out is because the work rules are different for each program, and in order for you to get the help that you need and get the correct answers, you're going to need to know for sure which benefits you receive, and that can be found on any notice you may have from Social Security or from setting up a my Social Security account at socialsecurity.gov in order to make that determination. So, just remember, two different programs, two different sets of work. 

Now, when we start talking about a journey to work, there are a lot of people on this webinar today. There's probably a lot of people thinking right now, what do you mean start your journey to work, we can't leave the house. Well, there are still jobs out there. You know, it may be hard to find them. There are not as many. But if you go to the grocery store wearing your gloves and mask, you are going to see help-wanted signs. If you're go to CVS to pick up a prescription, like I did the other day, you're going to see help wanted signs. So, I think, thinking about going to work of starting that journey right now is not totally out of the question. 

But what we need to let you know is that what we're going to talk about today is completely voluntary, and you are the only person that can decide whether going to work and starting this journey is for you. You have to think long and hard about that. You know, earning a living through employment is not something everybody can do, but it might be right for you. Once people understand what the Ticket to Work is all about, and the supports and the free services that are available to them to help them get an education, get services and equipment so that they can work, very, very often, people will say, okay, I'm willing to give it a go. 

It says the rewards far outweigh the risks. You know, I'm here to kind of dispel some of those myths, because the risks aren't really that great. And I can tell you that the rewards of going to work and having something to do that fulfills you and makes you feel more self-worth is worth a lot more than that paycheck you're going to have. If you take the time to learn about these employment services and what's available from the Ticket to Work program, I think you're going to be surprised. I really think you're going to be very surprised to available to you. And you need to know we are here. There are lots of people out there who are here to help you on this journey to financial independence. And what I mean by "financial independence" is getting off of benefits, knowing that you will be better off financially, and we can help you do that. 

What is the Ticket to Work program? First of all, it's free and it's voluntary. It's a program that happened with the Ticket to Work Act way back in December of 1999. So, it's getting pretty old, and it's been getting better as time goes by, and more people are deciding to participate. It's offering career development for people who are 18 through 64 and receive a benefit based on disability. You have to be receiving a cash benefit. So, those 18-year-olds, they also have to be disabled adults, which means they've gone through that age-18 review. So, there are a lot of people, lots of folks who are on benefits who are eligible for this program. Remember, this is voluntary, and the services are free. It doesn't get much better than that. 

You can get help to decide if working is right the decision. You can get help to prepare for work. You can get help finding a job, and you can get help at succeed at work, and, by that, I mean there are ongoing support services after you have begun working that can be had through using your Ticket to Work, and we'll talk in more detail about that a little later. But no one here wants you to start a job and wash their hands of you and let you fail. We are here to support you and make sure success is at the end of your journey. 

Now, who are all these people I keep talking about? I'm talking about lots of people. You have no idea who they are, so here they are. Who can help you achieve those goals? The Ticket to Work program, first of all, there's no wrong door. So, you can start by talking to any one of these people, and they will get you to the right place. There are lots of types of service providers, Employment Networks, or EN. They're private agencies that help people get to work. They'll provide you with all kinds of services. A lot of them will help you get to programs to get that GED if you didn't finish high school. You know, a lot of them will help get you into training courses. They're most certainly going to know the job markets in your area, and they're going to be able to point you to different jobs and get you to the right employer, and I don't want to talk too much about them, because I'm going to ruin the next several slides. 

The workforce ENs, used to be called the One Stops, they're there. They can help you with basic things like putting your resume together. When they reopen, you can go in there and use their computers to build your resume. They have job banks that you can use. State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, they're there to help you do whatever you need to get employment, that’s the deep pockets here today. If you're looking for an education, if you're looking for a degree, state VR is most likely to help you do that if you are all beneficiaries and have Social Security based on disability, or SSI based on disability, you're a priority for these agencies. 

Work incentives Planning and Assistance, the WIPA Project, they're out there to help you make the plan. When I told you, we were not going to let you lose your benefits without making sure you were better off, those are the folks that are going to it. They're going to tell you how your income impacts your benefits so that you always come out ahead. And last but not least, the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security, the PABSS program, it's there, usually named Minnesota Disability Rights, California Disability Rights. They are there to protect people with disabilities rights within the workplace. So, if you are wondering whether it's time to disclose, if you have a disability, to your employer, they're going to be able to tell you the ups and the downs. We've got all of these different agencies there to assist you in decision-making and getting started and concluding that journey to work. 

Now, the ENs, I told you they're private. They could be public agencies that have an agreement with Social Security to provide you with free support services. If you have a Ticket, and everybody should, you know, if you're a disabled adult between 18 and 164, you can avail yourself of the Employment Network in your area. You know, many of the public workforce systems, again, the American Job Centers are workforce EN centers. For those of you that have been around as long as I have, the One Stop Centers. These people are absolutely great. 

I mean, how can they help you? Let me move the slide forward. If you're not sure what you want to do, talk with one of them. They can get you assistance and help you prepare that resume. You may have been receiving benefits out of the workforce for, you know, four or five years, ten years. Well, how do you explain that gap in your employment to a prospective employer? The ENs can help you do that, because believe it or not, there are things that you have done while you were receiving disability benefits that could be used as skillsets for a job and they'll help you fill in that gap. 

What about interview preparation? You know, I haven't had an interview for a job in almost 20 years. If I were to now have to get another job or choose to get another job, I would need some interview props. I'm not sure what questions they're asking people today. I do know that I need to come up with a list of questions. It's great to get some practice, so the ENs are certainly going to do that. 

What about reasonable accommodations? You know, if you want a reasonable accommodation, you certainly have to disclose your disability, and so we can talk with ENs about whether we want to disclose, what types of reasonable accommodations we might need on the job. And many of these ENs also have benefits counselors embedded in their organizations, so it might be one-stop shopping; that you start working with a counselor at an EN and also get your benefits planning done by that same organization. 

Now, let's move on to state VR, the Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. These tend to be very large agencies. In some states, it is a separate agency for people with blindness, so just be aware that there may be two separate agencies in your state. They're going to be able to help you. Again, some states are in order of selection, so I can't promise you that they're going to be available immediately, but you are a priority if you're receiving a disability benefit from Social Security. Training and education, those are real expensive. 

If you want to be a plumber, you need to go to school to learn how to plum. You need to be matched up with a plumber for your apprenticeship. If you want to be a teaching assistant, you need a two-year associate’s degree. I don't want to be a teaching assistant. I want to be a teacher. Okay, that's a four or five-year program. You know, vocational rehab is going to be able to assist you with tuition, books, transportation to and from school, some big-ticket items, and that's going to be their bailiwick. If you're looking for expensive durable equipment, you're likely to get that more readily from a state vocational rehabilitation agency. 

There's good news coming though. You really don't have to pick one or the other. I'm going to tell you how you can use both on the next slide. Sometimes these slides work out and they're right in the order. How can you use both? What if you want to become a teaching assistant and need a two-year degree? Clearly, I've indicated that the most likely place is state VR. But what if you need ongoing assistance? State VR agencies will rehabilitate you. They will get you the education you need. They will teach you how to use durable medical equipment. And then, notice, they typically close your case 90 days after you start working. 

What if you need ongoing supports? The wonder of this Partnership Plus program is that you can take that Ticket to Work, which was being used by VR, and take it to an Employment Network once you're finished with state VR, and that Employment Network can then provide you with services to maintain your employment. It could be a job coach. It could be some kind of shadowing. It could be somebody just to talk to when you get frustrated. Or maybe now you're realizing, four months into this job, that it's time to ask for that reasonable accommodation. How do you have that discussion now that you've been working for four months? You talk to your EN about it. And notice the website, if you're looking for all of this information, choosework.ssa.gov, and that's going to be in your weblink pod as the Choose Work website. You know, this Partnership Plus plan is wonderful. I really, really think it's the best way to go about doing this. 

Now, the WIPA project, Work Incentive Planning and Assistance, these are Social Security-funded programs that provide benefits counsel counseling. What is going to happen to that package of benefits that you have if you start earning money? We all know they're going to be affected? The truth is they're not going to run away real quick. It's an urban myth if you go back to work, you're going to lose those things. That's not going to happen, and these benefits planners, known as Community Work Incentives Coordinators or CWICs, can help you figure that out. This is a free service. They're going to look at SSDI, SSI, Medicare and Medicaid, which is very important, and any other public benefit you have. 

How does income affect your SNAP benefits? How does it affect your public housing benefits, and whatever else might be out there that is providing you with some service? They're going to help you understand the Social Security work incentives, which are really pretty good things. Those are what are going to save you and make sure that, at the end of your journey, you're better off. 

Let's talk about the potential benefits of employment and dispel those myths. You know, if I go out on the street today and find somebody who is on SSI and ask them what's going to happen if you go back to work, chances are they're going to say I'm going to lose everything, and I'm here to tell you that's not the case. And you can find out exactly what's going to happen to your benefits by getting benefits planning done. And isn't it better to know what's going to happen to your benefits before it actually happens, and to know that even if your benefits decrease, you're going to have more money. That's what these people do, and it's a very necessary service for you to have before you start this journey to work. 

Now, who do these projects help? Right now, they're helping people who are working or are self-employed, have a job offer that they've been given and don't know whether they should accept it or not until they get this planning done, or who are actively interviewing for jobs. They've had an interview for the past 30 days or have one scheduled the next couple of weeks. You know, remember, the Employment Network also have benefits planners that may not have these restrictions. 

There's also special consideration for transition age, so if you're between the ages of 14 and 25, and considering a paid work experience, they can let you know what's going to happen, particularly to those SSI benefits, while you're working and still in school, and there's some wonderful stuff here, guys. There really is. So, that's what those planners do. Remember, if you're considering work, talk with an EN if you don't meet these qualifications to get these types of planning services. 

Protection and Advocacy, this is a great program. My last job in the public law sector was as a PABSS attorney. You know, Protection and Advocacy for Benefits of Social Security benefits. Free legal services if you run into a legal issue on that journey to employment. And what might that be? Well, your employer asks some inappropriate questions during an interview, there's some sort of discrimination on the job. Intentional or unintentional, it's still something somebody's doing wrong. Now, you have requests for reasonable accommodation, another good place to talk about it. If you're denied a reasonable accommodation, this is the place to go. And there are lawyers and paralegals there who will help you resolve that. They're also there to help you with Social Security and to help you with Employment Networks or the state VR agencies as you're developing your employment plan. So, if something's not going well during that plan development process, call upon the PABSS office and they can provide you some advice or some direct assistance. 

So, how you find all these people? You know, you find them on the choosework.ssa.gov/findhelp website, again, in this web pod as at Choose Work website. And you can search for the people that help you. I use this website all the time, because I get e-mail from people who want some help, and all I need to do is have their Zip Code and I can find every one of those agencies that provide services to that Zip Code. You can look, once you get in there, and find out what kind of services these people offer. Every EN is not the same. Some of them work with people who have mental impairments. Some of them work with people who have physical impairments. You need to pick, in the end, based on the type of disability they serve. Maybe some of them provide services in other languages. It would be great, if you speak Vietnamese and that's your primary language, to find an EN who can provide that service. 

And what kind of services do they offer? You know, is it an EN that's going to help you with benefits planning and developing your interests to determine what kind of job you have, or is it an EN that focuses on placement and job supports after you've already been employed? You have the right to contact as many as there are out there that serve your area and determine who is going to do the best job for you. 

The other place where you can get help is call the Ticket to Work Help Line. They can give you a list of the providers in your service area, particularly for those of you who may not have internet connections at home or computers. Give that Help Line a call. It's 1-866-968-7842, or for TTY users, 866-833-2967, and they are available Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. As I said, there's no wrong door. So, on that note, Sarah, do we have any questions? 

SARAH>> Thanks, Ray. We sure do. Thanks for kicking us off with Ticket to Work program and Service Providers. I am going to start with the audience questions, and the first one is, I would like to consider self-employment. Is a Ticket to Work needed to get a plan to achieve self-success pass? 

RAY>> No, it's not. You know, plan to achieve self-support can be had by anybody receiving Social Security or SSI. It is specifically an SSI program but can be utilized by a lot of SSDI folks as well. You know, you don't need a Ticket to Work to do that. You might need help developing it. And an Employment Network or a benefits planner can help you develop that plan. You know, the Ticket doesn't impact the Social Security work incentives that are out there, PABSS, being one of them. It just is an umbrella to get you extra services. So, you could use them together. 

SARAH>> Okay. Thank you for that, Ray. Can you explain what a reasonable accommodation is? 

RAY>> Isn't that a great subjective question? A reasonable accommodation is something that's going to allow you to do the job that you want. You know, it could be something as simple as removing a task from the job description. You know, it could be a change in hours due to medication. You know, I can't start work until 10:00 o'clock because that medication that I take when I get up is going to make me unworkable for a couple of hours. You know, so I need to work from 10:00 to 7:00. You know, is that possible? Is it reasonable? It depends on an employer; right? If it's a grocery store, sure, that sounds reasonable, because they're open late. If you're working in an office, it could be a little less reasonable, because that office is open from 9:00 to 5:00. It doesn't mean it can't happen. You know, most reasonable accommodations are fairly inexpensive. They average about 500 bucks. 

Unfortunately, employers hear reasonable accommodations and may be afraid of it. So, what you need to do is be prepared to have that discussion. It could be as simple as, you know, I need jaws put on my computer so I can do that job; that's it. It could be, I understand you don't like to have dogs in the office, but I have a guide dog, I have a service dog. That's a reasonable accommodation that really doesn't cost your employer anything. You know, so it's any adjustment to that job that is reasonable, both in cost and in operation for that business. 

SARAH>> Great. Thank you for the clarification. Those were great examples in definition for reasonable accommodations. The next question I have for you is, I would like to return to work at my old place of employment. I am worried that I am not going to be able to handle a physical job anymore. Is there someone who can help me decide if the job is still right for me? 

RAY>> Absolutely. You know, the ENs are probably the best target for that, and I throw in the state VR agencies as well. You know, many people with disabilities want to go back to their former employment, and the question is, can you? You may be able to do it and do it differently. You know, you may need extra equipment to do it. You may need a prosthetic device to do it. You know, if it's a heavy lifting job, maybe back braces are okay. You know, I'm not going to tell you it is okay. I think you need to talk to your doctor about things like that. But, certainly, the ENs and state VR are going to know what types of equipment, how you can do that job a little bit differently than you did before, and whether or not there's a reasonable accommodation that might say, okay, a 20-pound bag of mulch is okay to pick up, but a 50-pound back of cement is not, so, can we tailor that job to meet your new abilities? And all of those things are very, very possible. But the ENs and the VR agencies are going to tell you what can be done and then, again, assist you in having that conversation with that employer. That's a great question. 

SARAH>> Definitely. Ray, I have one more question for you before we keep going with the webinar, and that is, I am having difficulty finding a WIPA provider in my area. Do you have any advice? 

RAY>> Yeah, I do. You know, WIPA is only one of the programs out there that provides planning. As I said, the Employment Networks can do that, and there are other folks that, you know, can provide benefits planning. Many non-profits across the country have benefits planners built in, including the independent living centers, which you may want to check out as well. There's more than one way to skin a cat in this game. 

SARAH>> Certainly. Okay, thank you for the thorough answers to the questions sent in by our participants. Although, we do have more questions for you, which we will address later in the webinar, we are going to stop and turn things back over to Ray who will share information about work incentives. Thank you, Ray. 

RAY>> All right. Thank you. Okay, the work incentives and the Ticket program, you know, the work incentives have been there forever, for a long, long time, and, you know, it's just within the last 20 years that we have formalized benefits planning and been proactive in using these work incentives, and it has changed many, many people's living. They are actually wonderful rules. Again, remember, SSDI has one set of rules, and SSI has another set of rules. And even if they sound alike, they work a little bit differently. But these rules are going to allow you to receive training for new skills or, as I've said, how to do the job you were doing differently, so using your skills differently. 

Improve the skills you already have. Pursue your education. Try different jobs. Now, isn't that a great option if you're not sure what you want to do. Try a couple of jobs. Start a career. You know, there is a difference between a job and a career, and when you decide you want to take that step, it's a big step, so we need to do that with some assistance. 

And gain confidence. You know, I'm betting that person that asked that question about not being able to do that physical job might get a little more confidence if they talk to an EN and are told, sure you can do that job. We know how you can do it differently than the other people on the workforce, but you can do it, you know. And maybe we can give it a shot. Let's have a trial work experience, you know, and see if it all works out. So, that confidence needs to be there, and by using these work rules, you're going to build that confidence that you need to continue. 

These two programs are going to be critically important to you throughout this journey, and for a long time afterwards. And health care is coming along. It's getting much better, and the Ticket to Work was part of that, along with Medicaid's expansion, which I'm sure you've heard that term on the news and reading the papers. Look at the Medicaid program. That's the program that generally comes with SSI. 

Medicaid While Working or otherwise known as 1619(b). Now, in order to get the 1619(b), you have to work enough to lose all of your cash SSI benefits. Now, for most people, that's $783 a month. I know some of you out there have state supplements. The math is just different, that's all. It's around $1,625 a month in order to lose $783. 

Now, you have to make a choice here. Do you want $1625 a month or $783. You get Medicaid in either case, because now that I've worked and earned enough to lose my cash benefits, Medicaid continues, and every state has a threshold, and they vary from $28,000 a year up to $63,000 a year. It depends on the state you're in. Your benefits planner, your EN, your state VR agency should help you be able to locate that figure for your state. But if you can be working and lose your cash SSI and make $40,000 a year and continue to get Medicaid at no cost, what do you got to lose? It's better than $783 a month and Medicaid. 

The Buy-in program is another option. You know, I'm from Massachusetts, and this Buy-in program is probably 40 years old, and it was used as the model for the Ticket to Work program. If you lose your 1619(b) benefits because you've earned too much, you can switch over to the Medicaid Buy-in. The bonus with the Buy-in is that the premiums are incredibly reasonable, and the resource limit goes from $2,000 to, in some states, $20,000 or unlimited resources. It differs in every state. So, you've gone over $40,000 and you lose 1619(b), you might be paying $45,000 a month now for Medicaid, but you're making $45,000 now. You still have Medicaid. It doesn't sound so scary anymore. 

On the Medicare side, this program comes with the SSDI program. There's an extended period of Medicare coverage. Now, that coverage, you know, this is going to be a little bit out of context, but it's going to last for at least seven- and-a-half years after your trial work period, at least seven-and-a-half years. 

Now, if I'm going to have Medicare for at least seven-and-a-half years, and I've got to go through several phases of work incentives, you know, I'm not really concerned about my Medicare ending. I've got to focus on work. And that's the truth, you don't need to worry about it. Even afterwards after the Medicare program for people with disabilities who work where you're actually paying for these premium, but you should have enough money to do that. We're talking about what's going to happen in maybe seven-and-a-half years from now. 

Oh, here's another slide on 1619(b). I probably gave it all away. In order to get 1619(b), there are some rules. You don't just qualify for it. You have to have been eligible for SSI for a month. For those people out there who receive SSDI, when you first started to receive SSDI, did you get SSI at all? If you did, you're going to qualify. You have to continue to be disabled, according to Social Security's definition, and you have to meet the non-disability requirements. That's the $2,000 resource level. That's about the only downside towards this, because you're working, you're making money, and, you know, nowadays we can help you, a benefits planner can help you save in protected savings plans that we talked about on these webinars in the past, so you can save a little bit more. 

You have to need Medicaid in order to work. Now, that's a really nice test that you take. Did you use your Medicaid card in the last 12 months, or do you think you'll use it in the next 12 months, or can you afford to replace Medicaid with private insurance? The answer to those questions are generally yes, yes, no, because health care is expensive and insurance is expensive. And, remember, each state, I talked about that threshold, so you're going to have to be below that state's threshold for 1619(b). And what you're going to do is search that very long website, or go into the weblinks pod and look at 1619(b) state threshold, and I think you're going to be surprised by how much money you can earn and not have any effect on your Medicare benefits. 

The Buy-in programs are different, of course. You have to meet the definition of being disabled under the Social Security Act, but notice that there's really no requirements that you receive any Social Security benefit at all. Any worker with a disability can apply for this program, and if you don't have Social Security disability benefits, the state makes that decision for you. You know, every program is different, you know, so you've got be working some. What does that mean? In Massachusetts, it's 40 hours a month. In New York, it's one hour a month at minimum wage, and you're paying taxes. 

So, as you can see, it varies a lot. Check with your state. Check with your Employment Network, with your benefits planners to see what the qualifications are. Again, you're paying a premium. What's the benefit of paying a premium? You have a bigger resource line. You're already above the other threshold guidelines to 1619(b), but we're not going to take your health care away from you yet. This is a fabulous program. It's available in 44 states and the District of Columbia, so there are five states out there without a Buy-in. Just check. Check with your benefits planners. 

The extended period of Medicare coverage for those of you who are on SSDI, you know, as I said, 93 months, you know, when I talk to people about what's going to happen to their health care and I say at least 93 months, every once in a while, somebody says, well when? You know, I can do a lot of work and figure out when exactly you may lose your benefits, but I would much rather have you not be in fear of a date and something that might happen seven-and-a-half years from now. I want you to focus on becoming a worker, because those benefits are going to be there for a long time. 

Now, the parts of Medicare that are covered, Part A, which is hospital coverage. It is at no cost, but remember that those Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes that are coming out of your paycheck pay for that. So, you've been paying for it all along. When you need it, it does not have a premium. 

Supplemental medical insurance, Part B, if you're enrolled, this is an optional program. You've got be real careful about opting out. If you don't have other coverage that is as good as or better than Medicare, there could be a penalty coming down the line if you don't enroll right away. That has a premium. We're going to cover that premium if you're in the Medicaid Buy-in. We're going to make sure that you're able to pay for that premium if you have to, because of your earned income being at the appropriate level. That's what benefits planners do. 

There might be extra help in your state through certain Medicare savings programs that will allow the states to let Medicaid pay for those premiums. Part D is prescription drug programs, again, if you are enrolled, and it's the same kind of situation. If you have insurance through a spouse or you own private health insurance is as good as or better than Medicare, you don't need to worry about that. 

Medicare for people with disabilities who work, we're talking now, you have worked and worked and work and work, and weave have gotten to 93 months, and, potentially, you are going to lose your Medicare coverage. Well, you're not going to lose your Medicare coverage, because you can buy it. The expense of that depends upon how long you've been working. And, again, ENs, your benefits planners can get you those figures. By I don't want you to worry about what those figures are today if you're starting your journey to work, because you've got enough to concentrate on knowing that you do have coverage while you're beginning. This is something you need to worry about a long time from today. 

Okay, so for more information about enrollment periods for Medicare and the different parts, or to make an appointment to enroll, you can call your Social Security Office. This is still an available service, even though everything is shut down, and you're going to want to call that toll-free number 1-800-772-1213, or for TTY users, 800-325-0778. 

Now, again, remember I talked to you about those Medicare savings plan, help paying for those premiums, you need to call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE, or for TTY users, 877-486-2048. Please have your Medicare number available and talk to the representative from your state, and they'll see if you meet the qualifications for one of the several plans that are out there, who can give you help picking up the premiums for Medicare. 

All right, we are now at the hard-question part, Sarah. 

SARAH>> All right, thank you for that, Ray, for that information on the work incentives. I will just jump right in with the questions. We have a lot of questions for the audience today. I was originally assigned an EN, and then my application with a state vocational rehabilitation office was approved, can I keep both services? 

RAY>> You can't keep both services at the same time. Remember, we talked about Partnership Plus. That Ticket that you use to work with your EN can only be in one place at a time. So, if you're now choosing to work with VR, you can take your Ticket from the EN and give it to VR, and they put it in use so all of your protections that come with using your Ticket are still available to you. But it most certainly is possible for you to make that transition. Now I want to go to work with the state VR agency, you may very well take that Ticket back from the state agency and reassignment to that same EN later on. But one Ticket has to be with one provider at one time. There's still a way to make that work though. 

SARAH>> Thank you for clarifying that, Ray. The next question I have is, if I participated in an education or training program and found that it was not for me, am I able to participate in another education program or training that I may be better suited for? 

RAY>> Sure. You know, you can do that. You know, that Ticket to Work does have value to it, and so the question becomes, if your state agency is using that to provide you with education and you either decide at the end or during the educational processes, I don't like this, I mean, that's the way education post-high school works. You don't know what you want to do, you may not have any idea what the job you pick entails, and you find out, I'm changing my mind. You know, it's happened to a lot of people. And you can do that, but you need to remember that that Ticket has value, and your ability to do that is going to depend on the plan you have with your state agency, whether they're amenable and think your new goal is feasible so that they can fund it. And when you're using it with an EN, you're actually taking value away from that Ticket. So, it depends on who and how much is available at that point. What you're talking about can most certainly be done, and the ENs and the VR agencies are there to guide you through that change process. 

SARAH>> Thanks, Ray. The next question I have is, can the Ticket to Work program help me with setting business goals for self-employment? 

RAY>> Absolutely. You know, self-employment is a big thing, you know, because lots of people are working from home. You may decide that you want to work from home, or you may decide that you want to open a little shop someplace. You know, whichever you want to do, there are specific rule for self-employment, so you'd want to talk to a benefits planner. You know, the ENs are most certainly going to be there to say, okay, let's see what you want to do. How do we know that that job is going to work in your area, or how can we make that type of job work in your area? 

I said I was from Massachusetts, so if I wanted to go to the beach and have a cart that sold pinwheels and kites and T-shirts all summer long, that would work there. I live in New Mexico now, so selling T-shirts at the beach is probably not the type of job that's going to work in New Mexico as well. So, that type of thing, you can get assistance to determine if it is the right thing to do or should we change it up a little. You know, is there going to be a customer base for you? You know, the Employment Networks should be able to tell you all of that. That is probably the best place. I guess that's the best place to go, along with the benefits planner, to figure out whether or not that job is the right thing for you to be doing in your part of the country. 

SARAH>> Thanks, Ray. The next question I have for you is, what should I do if I need to add or change my accommodation as I begin working? 

RAY>> What you need to do as you're beginning work, I hope you've got your Ticket assigned to an Employment Network, and I hope you made this decision about changing things up with that Employment Network, and have time to talk with them again and figure out how this accommodation needs to be modified or changed, and how you're best able to talk to your employer about this. 

SARAH>> All right. The next question I have for you is, if I receive benefits and begin working, am I automatically enrolled in the Ticket to Work program? 

RAY>> Can I have that one again, Sarah? 

SARAH>> If I receive benefits and begin working, am I automatically enrolled in the Ticket to Work program? 

RAY>> No, you're not. Again, this is free and voluntary, so it's your choice to enroll in the Ticket to Work program. If you just find your own job, you would still get the advantage of all the work incentives that are involved, but you wouldn't be using your Ticket. You could enroll in the Ticket program if you have just started working and you find out that you need support on the job, and an Employment Network or the state VR agency can do that. But this is not something that happens automatically. 

SARAH>> All right. And one final question before we move on, can expand upon what you mean when you say, "working at a substantial gainful activity?" 

RAY>> I certainly can. You have to earn countable income. Now, when I say "countable income," you take your gross income, which is seriously your gross income, not your take-home pay, and you have to use the work incentives, which are deductions or exclusions to reduce that income and end up, this year, with more than $1,260 a month. So, Social Security looks at something called your countable income. They start with that gross and use work incentives to reduce that. And if you're able to earn more than $1,260 this calendar year, you are performing substantial gainful activity. 

Now, the important thing about that is, that was clearly an SSDI question. SGA, or Substantial Gainful Activity, doesn't matter for an SSI worker. It's just a matter of using the regular math and coming up with enough money. I said that was $1,625, somewhere around there, to exhaust all of your benefits. So, that was a great question, and also gave me a great opportunity to show you, if you have Title II SSDI, you've got one set of rules, if you have SSI, you've got another. Thank you for that question. 

SARAH>> Absolutely. And keep the questions coming in. You guys have great questions coming in today. Ray, I'm going to turn it back over to you so that you can discuss the faces of the path to work and how to put it altogether before we have more questions. Thank, Ray. 

RAY>> All right, thank you. And we're going to do this part pretty quickly, because you guys are asking lots of questions, and this is a chocked full, this presentation. Okay, the phases on that path to work, what's going to happen? So, what you've got to start with phase one, learning about the Ticket. You're doing that right now, and you can do it more, and more thoroughly, with an Employment Network for your state VR agencies. 

Getting ready to work, you know, what's that plan look like with your VR? Getting a job and managing your job, you know, how are you going to do it? What happens now that you are working? Do you need on-the-job support? So, let's talk about these things. 

You know, the first thing you need do is figure out what's true and what isn't. And, remember, I talked about those myths and urban legends out on the street? Well, you're got to figure out what's fact and what isn't, and that way you can decide whether work is the right path for you. If you don't know the facts, you can't make the decision. So, learning about that Ticket to Work is also going to dispel a lot of those myths, and that's going to be in your web pod link as well, but there is the website for you. 

And I'm trying to look at what kind of job are you looking for. There's a blog post there for you. You've got to learn about these things before you can make an informed decision, and that's what we're looking for you to do. If you're making a decision that's based on myths, you're not making an informed decision. 

During phase two, you're getting ready to work. We're identifying goals, what kind of job you want. You've probably got a state VR plan or a plan with an Employment Network that's going to help you figure out what those goals may be and put a plan together to get you to that spot so that you're ready to for the interview, because there could be a lot of time going on between now and then, but that plan is going to be individually made for you. 

Getting a job, you know, you have to network. You're got to meet people. You may be out there, when you can get out there. Right now, you're Facebooking or you're doing Zoom meeting. If you're having a zoom party, you're networking, job hunting, where are the jobs that you want? EN is great at telling you that. Expanding your work skills, state VR and EN, and preparing for interviews. Again, I told you, you know, I haven't done that in a long time. It's a different world, and you don't necessarily apply for jobs by putting your resume in an envelope anymore and putting a stamp on it. You do it through computers. So, there are lots of new things you have to learn about getting a job. Even if it's the same one you want to go back to, you might have to do it a little differently. So, phase three is finding that job. 

Phase four, managing it. What are you expecting out of this job? What are your possibilities for promotion? And, yeah, you just started this job, but it's already time to start thinking about maybe I want that manager's job already. It may be a year or two down the line, but start thinking about it. You know, what's happening to this money. Your first paycheck is going to come, what are your responsibilities to report to Social Security? How do you manage all of these obligations that you have now? How do you keep all of these documents so that you or your benefits planner or EN can access them really quickly? 

There's a lot of stuff going on here, and you're going to see benefits drop, and you don't need to panic, because the benefits drop is only the first set of seeing reality. You have to add your paycheck into that. And I can promise you, if you've had benefits funding, it's going to be more money. That's what we're here for. 

So, how do we put this all together? You know who recollects can help you achieve your goals? Have you made the decision that work is the right step for you? That's what I'm hoping you're beginning to do, even though you're just listening at this point. We've given you enough enticements. You've got to get the facts now. 

Who can help you meet that goal? We've talked about all of these people. Remember, no wrong door. You need benefits planning. You definitely need that. You've got to know what's going to happen to you. Job search assistance, there's your Employment Networks and your VR, resume and interview prep, Employment Network, you know, transitions supports, requesting those reasonable accommodations. When is the right time do it? How do you do it? 

You know, it's a pretty good thing to have an Employment Network talk to you about that and say, okay, we know what kind of accommodation you need. We know what kind of equipment you need. Let's find out how much it is so you can have that discussion with your employer, and not only ask for the accommodation but suggest and let that employer know that it's not anywhere near as much money as you're thinking because you've already priced it out. 

Again, Choose Work at the find Help site to find all of these service providers. And, again, start with anyone that's in your area, and if that's not the right call, they will get you to the right place, no wrong door. Now that you're ready to start your path to work, you know, what questions can you ask yourself to find that job that's right for you? There are lots of questions. What do you like to do, you know? Have you had a job in the past? Have you had many jobs in the past? I can assure you that I've had some jobs I would never ever want to go back to, you know. I'm happy with the one I got, and I'm very pleased where I ended up. That's what we want for you. 

If you don't know what kind of job you want, what do you like? What are you enthusiastic about? There are many of you how there that have hobbies that could easily be turned into jobs. You know, there are many of you out there that have skills that you can make things that could be said on Etsy websites. I mean, there are millions of things that you can do that you can turn into a job. You've got to find out what you're interested in, and you already know that. Just write it down on a piece of paper. 

What do you want to do now? You know, we have somebody out there who wants to go back to a heavy-lifting job and isn't sure about it. Well, we can get you back to that job, and you may be doing it a little differently. But what do you want to do five years from now? I bet you five years from now, you might like to manage all of those heavy lifters so you won't be doing the heavy lifting. That sounds like a good goal. Let's plan on working towards that. 

And what are your long-term career goals? I just gave you one example. I don't want to do the heavy lifting anymore. I want to tell other people do the heavy lifting. You know, I don't want to be a trainer anymore. I want to be the director of the training program. You know, all of these things are turning a job into a career. 

And where do you want to work? Is it local so that you can walk there? Do you know what company you may want to work with, or what type of company? You know, we need to know all of that, and we're going to explore all of that with you if you need assistance do that. Right now, after you hang up, I want you to get a piece of paper. Start writing down the answers to some of these questions. It's a great way to do it. You do that today, tomorrow you pick it up and you think about it again. 

Now, we've got to share a story with you. We've got lots of success stories. That's the one great thing about these webinars and about the websites you've got access to. There are people who actually have done this already. Now, Larry was born with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which interferes with his ability, his senses, his social interactions, his communication, and his mental health. Well, in 2011, with the Ticket to Work program help, he received benefits counseling so that he knew what was going to happen to those benefits he received. He received support that he needed to transition in his career after he had a job. Remember that? Those ENs can help you while you're employed, including resume writing, interview tips, and job leads. 

Post-employment support, on the-the-job support from an Employment Network through Partnership Plus model. We don't want to get you a job -- I said this earlier -- and just leave you to your own devices. If you need support on that job, we will get it for you. 

You know, now here is the success. In 2021, Larry's going to celebrate his tenth year as part of a team that sets up conference rooms for daily meetings. Now, if you've not been to a conference -- I've been to way too many of them -- there are teams of people that get those rooms ready, you know, tech people, people moving the furniture, and it's amazing to watch these teams function. Larry's confidence in his work has allowed him to identify the logistics, which creates his efficiency, and, you know, enhanced his communication in his community to be able to participate in his community. That's a great example of what else comes with a paycheck. He's getting paid. 

But what else comes with it? He can participate in his community, and those are things he learned by working with other people on the job, because, remember, his disability, autism, it has an impact on his ability to communication and to interact with other people. Now he has an advantage, because he's better at it, and here's his quote, "I really like working with other people on the setup crew. It feels good to achieve something together every day." That's a great line. That is a wonderful quote. He feels good when he's finished with work, because he accomplished something with a team of people. All right, we're ready for more questions. 

SARAH>> All right, great. 

RAY>> Let me point out one more thing. If you notice -- let's go back to Larry, because I want to show you this -- Larry started working, and he had all this stuff here, the benefits counseling, the support was a great half of it. The resume writing, he might have had that from state VR. Then he took his Ticket from state VR and gave it to an Employment Network. Remember, we talked about that. Larry did that, and he used Partnership Plus to succeed. So, now I'm ready for questions. 

SARAH>> Awesome. Thanks, Ray. Thank you for outlining Larry's great story, and everything else that you did. Let's jump right into the questions we have. Is the Buy-in program only for SSDI recipients? 

RAY>> No. The Medicaid Buy-in program, if it exists in your state -- remember, said there are 45 states and the District of Columbia that have this -- is available for anyone with a disability who works, and that disability, if it hasn't been determined by Social Security, can be determined by the Medicaid agency in your state that is running the Buy-in. And, remember, if you've seen one Buy-in, you've seen one. They're all different, so the requirements for work, the number of hours, or the requirements for earning are all different for each state, and the resource limit, which has increased, differs in state. But, no, you don't have to be a Social Security recipient. You just have to be a disabled worker. 

SARAH>> All right. Thank you, Ray. Next question, some jobs have long probationary periods before they hire you permanently. Does this probationary period affect my benefits? 

RAY>> Well, the earnings do, you know, because while you're in a probationary period -- you know, I think mine was six months. So, while I was in my probationary period, I was doing the job, and I was getting paid. So, yes, that probationary period does impact your benefits because you're earning money. The important thing about that probationary period is that's where you really want to show your boss that you're a great employee, because if you don't survive your probationary period, you're probably not going to become a permanent employee. So, that's the time where your entire focus is on becoming a worker, becoming an asset to your employee, and not worrying about what's going to happen seven-and-a-half years from now. That was the perfect question to that. That really was. 

SARAH>> All right. Ray, the next question I have for you is, are there resources available for specific information about protections and disabilities for someone who suffers with mental health issues? 

RAY>> You know, the Protection and Advocacy Agency is going to be your first stop, you know, because they're going to talk to you about those protections. The ENs can't all talk to you about mental health issues, but some of them can. You know, those protections are going to -- you know, there are federal laws, there are state laws, so there's a lot to talk about, so that's why I subjected the PABSS program, who is available to you, again, legal advice at no charge, and your ENs who specialize in mental health issues. You know, there are also probably the Alliance for the Mentally Ill, lots of private organizations that can also get you that information, but may not necessarily get you that information in the context of the Ticket to Work. That's why I was focusing on the Ticket partners. 

SARAH>> Definitely. And we will be covering mental health in our June WISE webinar, which will be held on Wednesday, June 24th. It will be another great resource for the audience, as well as our Ticket blog, which can be found in the weblinks pod. And I have one last question for you, Ray, before we wrap up. Could you clarify, I have a disability and receive benefits. How do I know if I'm eligible for Ticket to Work and how do I get started? 

RAY>> Okay, if you are disabled and are receiving benefits, you probably got a Ticket to Work in the mail. And it doesn't matter if you have it. If you don't have it, the easiest way to find out if you do have one is to call the Help Line, the Ticket to Work help line at 866-968-7842, or for TTY users 866-833-2967. They can tell you whether or not you have a Ticket and what's available for you. So, that's a great easy way to find out. If it's lying around the house somewhere and you've got it, still call that Help Line to find out if it's still available to you. 

SARAH>> All right, Ray, thank you. We are, unfortunately, out of time for questions for today's webinar. The audience had a lot of great questions today, and we really appreciate that. We hope that we've provided answers to your questions on the Ticket program and encourage you to follow up by looking at all the resource ins the weblinks pod for more answers to your questions. 

Ray, thanks for being with us here today and sharing your knowledge of the Ticket to Work program, as always. 

RAY>> You're more than welcome. 

SARAH>> Okay. If you need some help finding a job, you have a few ways. You can check out our Find A Job page, and this can found in the weblinks pod under "Find A Job," connect with a Ticket program service provider, connect with resources that can help you advance your employment journey. All of the resources presented in today's webinar are available in the weblinks pod, or you can e-mail Ticket to Work@webinarschoosework.ssa.gov or reference the confirmation e-mail that you received for today's webinar for a list of available resources. 

If you would like to know more about our monthly WISE webinars, we encourage you to subscribe in order to find out about our upcoming projects and be the first to register. To learn so much more about the Ticket program, employment service providers and other topics, please subscribe to the Choose Work blog. You will get weekly updates sent directly to your inbox. Both of these links can be found in the weblinks pod under WISE Webinar Subscription, and Choose Work Blog Subscription. 

Social Security's Ticket to Work program has a number of service providers and other resources ready to help you get started. To get a list of providers in your area, or to get answers to questions about the program that you may have, and other work incentives, you can contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842, or for TTY, 1-866-833-2967, and that's Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or you can always visit the website choosework.ssa.gov. You can also find us on social media or subscribe to the blog or e-mail updates by choosework.ssa.gov/contact. This link appears in the weblinks pod under Ticket to Work contact information. 

Please join us for our next WISE webinar, Working from Home with Ticket to Work, which will be held on Wednesday, May 27th, 2020, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Registration is open, and we look forward to having you attend. To register online, go to choosework.ssa.gov/wise, or you can call 1866-968-7842, or for TTY 1-866-833-2967. 

Your feedback is very important to us and helps us plan future webinars. Please provide your feedback and tell us about today's webinar by taking our survey. To take the survey, you can follow the link that will pop up at the end of the webinar or visit the Ticket to Work website to complete the survey. Thank you again for attending today and learning about the Ticket program. 

Please take the opportunity to reach out to any of the resources we discussed today and take the next step in your career path. This concludes today's webinar. Have a wonderful evening, and thank you.