The Social Security Administration is set to implement new rules to make it easier for beneficiaries to access certain benefits and increase the payments some may receive. The changes affect Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which provides monthly benefit checks for more than 7 million Americans who are seniors aged 65 and up, or adults and children who are disabled, blind, and have little to no income or resources. Lydia Brown, the director of public policy at the National Disability Institute, stated that the benefit amounts available to SSI recipients are currently very low and may not fully account for their needs. The maximum federal monthly SSI benefit is currently $943 per eligible individual and $1,415 for an eligible individual and spouse.
The new rules, which are set to go into effect on September 30, are considered a positive move in the right direction by Lydia Brown. One of the key changes announced by the Social Security Administration is the expansion of the definition of a public-assistance household. This update will now include households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments and those where not all members receive public assistance. The previous policy required all household members to receive public assistance, while the new definition includes households with an SSI applicant or beneficiary and at least one other member who receives means-tested public income maintenance payments. This change may allow more people to qualify for SSI, increase payments for current beneficiaries, and reduce reporting requirements for individuals in public-assistance households.
The implementation of the new public-assistance household definition is expected to benefit federal SSI recipients. Around 277,000 recipients (4% of all beneficiaries) may see an increase in monthly payments as of fiscal year 2033, while an additional 109,000 individuals (1%) may become eligible for federal SSI payments under the updated rules. Darcy Milburn, the director of Social Security and health-care policy at The Arc, has emphasized that this update is a good policy and common-sense change to modernize the definition. The changes are aimed at promoting greater equity in the programs and removing significant barriers to accessing SSI, according to Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley.
Aside from the expansion of the public-assistance household definition, the Social Security Administration is also implementing two other rule changes to help SSI beneficiaries. One change will make it less likely that renting at a discounted rate or other rental assistance will affect a beneficiary’s SSI eligibility or monthly payment amount by expanding the SSI rental subsidy policy nationally. The other change will no longer count food assistance towards support beneficiaries receive from other parties that may reduce their SSI benefit amounts. These changes aim to reduce paperwork for SSI beneficiaries, provide more accurate monthly payments, and alleviate administrative burdens faced by recipients. Overall, the Social Security Administration is working to address outdated practices and improve access to benefits for those in need.
