The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999
Implementation
TWWIIA--Major Features
•
Ticket to
Work and Self-Sufficiency
•
Work
incentive enhancements
•
New work
incentive service structure
•
Health
insurance improvements
•
Work
incentive demonstration authority
Ticket to Work and
Self-Sufficiency
•
What:
–
SSDI and
SSI beneficiaries get Tickets
–
New
contract with providers of services--Employment Networks (EN)
–
Contract
with Program Manager(s) (PM)
–
New payment
system for ENs
Outcome
payments (over 60 months)
Outcome-Milestone
payments
Ticket to Work and
Self-Sufficiency, continued
•
What, continued:
–
State VR
agencies and alternate providers have special status
–
Phased-in
implementation
–
Rigorous
evaluation
• Effective when
–
January 1,
2001, to begin in some sites
–
January 1,
2004, to be national
Ticket to Work and
Self-Sufficiency, continued
•
SSA Role:
–
Publish
regulations on operation of Ticket program
–
Contract
with PMs and ENs
–
Improve
work incentives outreach and information
Ticket to Work and
Self-Sufficiency, continued
•
Specific
proposals being developed:
–
Selection
of sites for initial rollout of Ticket
–
Calculation
of Outcome payments to ENs
–
Amount and
criteria for earning Milestone payments under the TWWIIA
–
Selection
of beneficiaries receiving Tickets
–
Defining
what is meant by “using at Ticket
–
Dispute
resolution
Work Incentive Enhancements--
Expedited Benefit Reinstatement
•
What--Expedited benefit reinstatement:
–
SSDI--after
extended period of eligibility
–
SSI--after
1 year suspension
–
60 month
period to request reinstatement following SSDI/SSI termination for work
–
6-month
provisional benefits (nonrefundable) payable while SSA is deciding on
reinstatement request
Work Incentive Enhancements--
Expedited Benefit Reinstatement,
continued
•
Effective
when--January 1, 2001
•
SSA Role--Make systems and operational changes
Work Incentive Enhancements--
Changes to Continuing Disability
Review (CDR) Process
•
What:
–
Beneficiaries
using Ticket will not be scheduled for medical CDRs
–
SSDI
beneficiaries for 24 months--no
work-triggered medical CDRs; scheduled medical CDRs will still be conducted
Work Incentive Enhancements--
Changes to Continuing Disability
Review (CDR) Process, cont’d
•
Effective
when:
–
January 1,
2001--beneficiaries using Tickets
–
January 1,
2002--SSDI beneficiaries for 24 months
•
SSA Role--Publish regulations and make systems
and operational changes
New Work Incentive Service
Structures--
Work Incentive Specialist Corps
•
What--SSA must develop corps of “work
incentive specialists”
•
Effective
when--upon enactment
•
SSA Role--Put work incentive specialists in place
New Work Incentive Service
Structures--
Benefits Planning
•
What--Benefits planning grants, contracts, or
cooperative agreements
•
Effective
when--Upon enactment
•
SSA Role--Define roles for benefits planners, and
award grants for these services in all States
New Work Incentive Service
Structures--
Protection and Advocacy
•
What--Make grants to Protection and Advocacy
systems in all States to provide services to beneficiaries with disabilities
•
Effective
when--Upon enactment
•
SSA Role--Define role of P&A systems in
serving beneficiaries, and award grants in all States
New Work Incentive Service
Structures--
Work Incentives Advisory Panel
•
What:
–
12 members
to be appointed by the President and Congress
–
To provide
advice to the Commissioner of Social Security, Congress, and other agencies on
work incentives and the Ticket program
•
Effective
when--March 2000
Health Insurance Improvements
--Medicare
•
What--extends premium-free Part A Medicare
for 4 1/2 years beyond current law for beneficiaries with disabilities who work
•
When
effective--October 1,
2000
•
SSA Role--Work with HCFA to identify eligible
beneficiaries and send notices to them
Health Care
--Medicaid
•
What:
–
Permits
States more flexibility to cover people with disabilities who work
–
Permits
States to allow buy-in for those on SSI/SSDI who have medically improved
–
HHS to
provide infrastructure grants to States for workers with disabilities
–
HHS to
create demonstration for buy-in for workers with disabilities
Health Care
--Medicaid, continued
•
Effective
when--October 1, 2000
•
SSA Role--Work with HCFA on State activities,
grants, and policies
Demonstrations
•
What:
–
SSA’s
authority to conduct experiments and demonstration projects on Title II work
incentives reinstated for 5 years
–
Specific
authority to conduct a demonstration
of $1 for $2 earnings offset for SSDI
–
Authorizes
other demonstrations or studies of work incentives by SSA and GAO
Demonstrations, continued
•
Effective
When--Upon enactment
•
SSA Role:
–
Develop $1
for $2 demonstration project
–
Develop
other experiments and demonstrations as appropriate