After years of receiving Social Security disability benefits, you've found an employer willing to accommodate your needs. It's an exciting opportunity, but you can't help but feel anxious as questions race through your mind: Will I lose my benefits immediately? What happens to my Medicare or Medicaid coverage? And, ultimately, is returning to work worth the risk?
At Disability Services of America, we understand these concerns. As a Social Security-approved Employment Network, we've helped beneficiaries nationwide successfully transition to employment while maintaining crucial benefits. Our disability advocates can guide you through every step of the Ticket to Work program, ensuring you make informed decisions about your future.
How the Ticket to Work Program Protects Your Benefits
Ticket to Work is a Social Security Administration (SSA) work incentive program that helps Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients develop the skills necessary to increase financial independence and succeed in the workforce. The free and voluntary program provides significant protections to safeguard your disability benefits and reduce the risk of returning to work.
Protection From Continuing Disability Reviews
The SSA conducts periodic evaluations, called Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs), to ensure that your medical condition still qualifies you to collect benefits. Ordinarily, when a CDR shows that a recipient's health has improved enough to allow for substantial gainful activity (SGA), the SSA would terminate benefits. However, as long as you're actively participating in the Ticket program and making timely progress toward your employment goals, Social Security won't review your medical condition. This protection provides essential peace of mind to beneficiaries concerned about losing benefits while testing their ability to work.
Trial Work Period and Extended Period of Eligibility
The Trial Work Period (TWP) creates a safety net for transitioning to employment. SSDI recipients can test their ability to work for nine months (not necessarily consecutive) while keeping full benefits, regardless of how much they earn. After your TWP, you enter a 36-month (three-year) Extended Period of Eligibility where the SSA only suspends benefits in months when your earnings exceed the SGA limit ($1,550 for 2025).
Consider this example: Maria receives $1,200 monthly in SSDI benefits. After connecting with Disability Services of America through the Ticket to Work program, she finds part-time work earning $900 monthly. During her nine-month Trial Work Period, Maria keeps all her SSDI benefits and earnings, bringing her monthly income to $2,100. After completing her TWP, she continues in her Extended Period of Eligibility, still receiving her benefits and wages since her earnings remain below the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level.
Exclusions and Gradual Reductions
Ticket to Work offers different protections for SSI recipients. While SSI benefits reduce as your income increases, the reduction is gradual rather than immediate or complete. Important exclusions like the Student Earned Income Exclusion and Impairment-Related Work Expenses help minimize the impact of earnings on your monthly payment.
For example, James receives $841 in monthly SSI benefits and works with our employment specialists to find a job. He secures employment, earning $1,500 per month. His SSI benefit reduces but doesn't immediately disappear. After applying income exclusions (we don't count the first $85 in earnings), and only half of the remaining earnings reduces benefits, James's SSI payment decreases to approximately $162 per month. His combined income is now $1,662 – significantly higher than his SSI benefit alone. Even though his SSI payment declined, his Medicaid continues under the 1619(b) provision.
Expedited Reinstatement
The Ticket program also entitles SSI and SSDI beneficiaries to expedited reinstatement of benefits for up to five years after they end due to work. If your condition worsens and you can no longer work, you can request temporary benefits while the SSA determines if they should reinstate your full benefits.
Carlos receives $1,350 in SSDI benefits and obtains a full-time position earning $2,500 monthly with our assistance. During his trial work period, he received his full SSDI benefit and salary. After the TWP, his SSDI payments stopped because his earnings exceeded the SGA level. However, his Medicare continues for 93 months, and if his condition worsens within five years, he can request expedited reinstatement of his benefits.
Understanding the Impact on Your Healthcare Coverage
One of the biggest concerns when considering employment is maintaining health care coverage. The Ticket to Work program addresses this crucial need through several provisions.
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Medicare coverage. SSDI beneficiaries receive Medicare for at least 93 months (nearly eight years) after their Trial Work Period ends, even if their cash benefits stop due to earnings. This extended Medicare coverage ensures you maintain access to health care providers and treatments while transitioning to employment.
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Medicaid and SSI. When SSI cash benefits stop due to earnings, recipients may qualify for Medicaid's 1619(b) provision, which allows them to keep Medicaid even after their SSI payments end. Each state has different income thresholds for this continued coverage, but they're substantially higher than the amount that would cause SSI payments to stop.
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Medicaid buy-ins. Many states offer buy-in programs that allow workers with disabilities to purchase affordable Medicaid coverage when their income exceeds traditional limits. These programs typically have higher income and resource limits than standard Medicaid, making them valuable options for Ticket to Work participants.
Even with these protections, navigating health care transitions can be challenging. Disability Services of America provides personalized benefits counseling to help you understand exactly how participating in the Ticket program might affect your coverage.
Getting Your Ticket to Work
The SSA doesn't expect you to jump into full-time work immediately. The Ticket program allows you to progress at your own pace while maintaining your benefits.
When you assign your "ticket" to our Employment Network, you receive free personalized disability benefits counseling and career development services. Our team helps you develop an employment plan aligning with your skills, interests, and medical needs. We also provide job placement services and ongoing support for your employment journey. Discover how our disability advocates can help you achieve greater financial independence without sacrificing your security.