32 Miss. Code. R. 22-3.18.1 - Ticket to Work Program

The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (the Ticket to Work program) is the centerpiece of legislation signed into law under the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 ( Public Law 106-170). The Ticket to Work program allows SSDI and SSI disability beneficiaries to seek employment services, VR services and other support needed to obtain, retain, or maintain employment and reduce dependence on cash benefits. The laws purpose is to expand the universe of service providers available to SSDI and SSI disability beneficiaries and provide them with a Ticket they may use to obtain VR services, employment services, and other support services from an Employment Network (EN) of their choice. The original final regulations to implement the Ticket to Work program were published in the Federal Register on December 28, 2001 and became effective on January 28, 2002. After full implementation of the Ticket to Work Program, SSA published a request for comments, first in September 2005 and again in August 2007. Taking into account the comments received and the recommendations of the Ticket to Work Advisory Panel, significant changes were made to the Ticket to Work program with final rules effective July 21, 2008. The ultimate goal of the Ticket to Work program is to reduce reliance on Social Security disability benefits and to promote increased self-sufficiency for beneficiaries with disabilities through work.

Overview of Ticket to Work

A. Ticket Selection and Mailing Process

The SSA will review the records of beneficiaries who receive benefits under its two disability programs to determine who is eligible to receive a Ticket under the Ticket to Work program. SSA will send a Ticket mailer package to those found eligible for Tickets. This package includes a cover letter, the beneficiarys Ticket, and a brochure with basic information about the Ticket to Work program.

To be eligible for a Ticket, a beneficiary who is entitled to benefits under the SSDI or SSI program must:

* be at least 18 but not yet age 65;

* be entitled on SSAs disability standard for adults; and

* be receiving a Federal cash disability benefit.

Initially, SSA mailed Tickets to eligible beneficiaries in stages, and thereafter on a flow basis. New Tickets under the new regulations will not be sent routinely to beneficiaries who previously received a Ticket. New Tickets will be mailed to beneficiaries who previously had not received a Ticket due to medical improvement expected (MIE) provisions. Tickets will also be sent to all new disability beneficiaries, ages 18 through 64, as they are determined eligible for benefits on a flow basis.

A beneficiary who is eligible for a Ticket does not need to have a paper Ticket before contacting providers about possible services. SSAs Program Manager for the Ticket to Work program, MAXIMUS, Inc., is the beneficiarys contact source for Ticket questions and issues (e.g., MAXIMUS can answer questions about whether a beneficiary is eligible for a Ticket; MAXIMUS can issue replacements for lost Tickets).

B. Beneficiary Participation Is Voluntary

A beneficiarys participation in the Ticket to Work program is voluntary.

* The beneficiary is free to choose when and where to use the Ticket to obtain the assistance needed to return to work or to go to work for the first time.

* At any time, a beneficiary can retrieve the Ticket from an EN and reassign it to another EN that is willing to take the Ticket assignment, provided the Ticket is assignable.

* A beneficiarys non-use of a Ticket will not affect entitlement to disability-based benefits.

The benefit for a beneficiary who assigns his/her Ticket to an EN or works with a State VR agency is that SSA will not initiate a medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR) of the beneficiarys case provided the beneficiary is actively following an approved employment plan and making timely progress toward work or educational goals. SSA periodically conducts these reviews to determine whether a beneficiarys condition continues to meet SSAs definition of disability.

C. Linking Up With a Provider Via MAXIMUS

A beneficiary may not assign his/her Ticket to more than one provider of services at a time. Under the new regulations, a beneficiary may not work with MDRS or any State VR agency and an EN simultaneously. However, a beneficiary may discuss employment plans and goals with MDRS and as many ENs as the beneficiary chooses. The beneficiary can obtain a list of the State VR agency and approved ENs for a particular geographic area by:

* Calling MAXIMUS at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TDD), or

* Accessing MAXIMUS website atwww.yourTickettowork.com

A beneficiary may now chose to receive services from MDRS and then receive follow along services after the VR case is closed by assigning his/her Ticket to an approved EN.

D. "In-Use SVR" Status Code

In developing the new Ticket regulations, SSA decided that an individual with a disability may move toward self-sufficiency incrementally requiring a longer period of support which might include educational goals. Therefore, a Ticket holder may receive VR services to meet his/her intensive up front service needs and, after the VR case is closed with the beneficiary in employment, the beneficiary may assign his/her Ticket to an EN and receive job retention or other support services.

To make VR participation less burdensome under the new Ticket to Work rules, SSA substituted an electronic process for the Form SSA-1365 when the Cost Reimbursement option is selected. SSA created the "In-Use SVR" status code to be able to track SSDI and SSI beneficiaries who are working with a State VR agency (SVR). The "In-Use SVR" status will provide the beneficiary the same protection from a medical CDR that a Ticket assignment does as long as the beneficiary is making timely progress towards self-supporting employment.

Therefore, under the new regulations, State VR agencies choosing Cost Reimbursement are not required to submit the Form SSA-1365. The MDRS Ticket Unit will coordinate electronic submission of the required elements to MAXIMUS with the MDRS MIS Office. While a beneficiary is working with MDRS, his/her Ticket will be coded as "In-Use SVR" and will not be available to an EN.

E. MDRS Ticket Assignments

MDRS may choose selected cases where an EN payment option may be more obtainable than Cost Reimbursement. This will be handled in the Ticket Unit. When a case is selected for an EN payment option, MDRS will have to submit Form SSA-1365 and secure the beneficiarys Ticket assignment. The Ticket Unit will contact the counselor assigned to the case to obtain the required paperwork.

F. Counselor Responsibilities:

* As of March 1, 2009, no longer required to contact MAXIMUS to verify if a consumers Ticket is assignable

* As of March 1, 2009, no longer required to complete Ticket pages in AACE

* For EN payment option, cooperate with the Ticket Unit and provide the required paperwork for selected cases (Form SSA-1365 signed by both the counselor and the consumer along with the first and last pages of the signed IPE) to the Ticket Unit for Ticket assignment under the Outcome-Milestone EN payment option.

Notes

32 Miss. Code. R. 22-3.18.1