Tom Gloss

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The NEW Ticket To WorkNew Program, New
Opportunities

• Tom Gloss
• Ticket to Work Specialist
• CESSI, A Division of Axiom Resource Management
• Program Manager for Recruitment Outreach

Nov-09
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What is the Ticket to Work Program?

• What? An employment program administered by SSA
• Who? Beneficiaries with disabilities, ages 18
  through 64, receiving cash benefits under the
  Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
  program and/or the Supplemental Security Income
  (SSI) program
• Why? Increases choices in obtaining services
  supports to obtain and maintain employment

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Key Features of Interest to Beneficiaries

• Voluntary and free to the beneficiary
• Can postpone regularly scheduled medical
  Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs)
• Medicare Medicaid can continue
• If the beneficiary stops working, there is an
  expedited reinstatement to benefits
• www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook/

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How Do Beneficiaries Participate?

• A paper Ticket is mailed when SSDI or SSI
  benefits are approved
• If already on disability benefits, the Ticket may
  have been mailed some time ago
• Paper Ticket is not needed to participate
• Beneficiary decides whether to use the Ticket and
  when and where to assign it.

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How Do Beneficiaries Get Services?

• A beneficiary can
• Confirm eligibility to participate by calling
  1-866-968-7842 1-866-833-2967 (tty)
• Find an Employment Network (EN) at
  www.yourtickettowork.com or by calling the number
  above
• Talk to as many ENs as desired without assigning
  his/her Ticket
• Discuss his/her employment goal and the services
  and supports needed to achieve that goal

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How Do Beneficiaries Get Services?(continued)

• Once a beneficiary chooses an EN
• The EN and the beneficiary negotiate an
  Individualized Work Plan (IWP)
• The EN submits the plan to MAXIMUS -- Triggers
  Ticket assignment
• The EN provides the services and supports
  outlined in the negotiated plan
• When the beneficiary goes to work, the EN submits
  a payment request form and evidence of earnings
  to MAXIMUS payments received within 30 to 45
  days

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About Employment Networks (ENs)

• ENs are approved by SSA to provide services and
  supports to Ticket Holders
• SSA pays the EN based upon the beneficiary
  attaining specific Milestones and Outcomes
  related to work and earnings
• (not fee-for-service)
• ENs can be private (for profit non-profit)
  organizations, government agencies, employers and
  other service providers that offer education, job
  training and employment services

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New TTW Regulation(Effective July 21, 2008)

• Significant regulatory improvements include
• Total potential EN payments for SSI and SSDI
  beneficiaries are almost the same
• ENs earn Milestones earlier, more often, and at a
  higher rate
• Some Milestone payments based on part-time work
• Milestone payments based on gross earnings
  encourage use of work incentives

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Phase 1Milestone Payments2009 Rates
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Phase 2 Milestone Payments2009 Rates
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Outcome Payments Under Outcome-Milestone Payment
System
2009 Rates
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Availability of Phase 1 Milestone Payments

• Phase 1 Milestones are not available to an EN in
  some circumstances
• When beneficiary assigns Ticket to an EN after VR
  case closure -- Phase 1 Milestones not available
  to EN if VR closed case with beneficiary employed
• VR provided services under Cost Reimbursement
  leading to job placement
• SSA pays EN for Milestones Outcomes achieved
  after Ticket assignment and after a Ticket Holder
  goes to work
• EN can submit for Phase 2 Milestones when
  beneficiarys gross earnings exceed SGA

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Availability of Phase 1 Milestone Payments

• Recent Work Rule - Work at or above applicable
  Trial Work level earnings (700 in 2009) within
  18 months just prior to Ticket assignment can
  impact ENs access to Phase 1 Milestone
• Criteria are patterned after work and earnings
  criteria used for Phase 1 Milestone payments
• Does not apply to Tickets assigned prior to July
  21, 2008
• http//www.yourtickettowork.com/training_2

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New Opportunities for EN-VR Partnerships

• VR Cost Reimbursement payments and EN Milestone
  and Outcome payments both possible for same
  beneficiary on a sequential basis
• Beneficiary can assign Ticket to an EN after VR
  case closure
• Phase 1 Milestones not available to EN if VR
  closed case with beneficiary employed
• SSA pays EN for Milestones Outcomes achieved
  after Ticket assignment (Phase 2 Milestones and
  Outcome Phase)
• http//partnershipplus.cessi.net/

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Other EN Payment Information

• For 1st Phase 1 Milestone, if earnings are
  between 350 and 700, EN may be asked to justify
  why (e.g., started work middle of month, started
  with fewer hours, etc.)
• For 4th Phase 1 Milestone, earnings must be above
  trial work level for 9 out of18 months and EN has
  completed at least half of services in IWP

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Other EN Payment Information

• SSA does reconciliation payment after 12th
  outcome month if any Phase 1 or 2 Milestones are
  outstanding
• EN requests payment through MAXIMUS or can sign
  up for Auto-Pay
• Payments are being processed in 30-45 days

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See for Yourself!

• Look at the people you served last year and use
  SSAs EN Revenue Estimator to determine potential
  revenue from the Ticket to Work Program.
• http//www.cessi.net/en_estimator/
• (Actual EN payments depend on a number of
  variables and may be different for each
  beneficiary.)

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www.cessi.net/en_estimator
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www.cessi.net/en_estimator
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And the Results.
Nov-09
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Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)

• SSA approved organizations that assist
  beneficiaries in
• making informed choices about work. WIPA services
  are
• free.
• WIPA staff
• Are trained to provide information about work and
  Work Incentives.
• Can answer questions about how work will affect
  your Federal, state and local benefits.
• Can help you find the resources or services to
  achieve your individual employment goals.
• Host Work Incentives Seminar Events (WISE).
• www.socialsecurity.gov/work Click on Service
  Provider Directory

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Work Incentive Seminars (WISE)

• At a WISE Event you can expect to
• Learn about the Ticket program and other SSA Work
  Incentives.
• Meet with
• ENs
• The State Vocational Rehabilitation agency
• WIPA Project staff
• SSA staff
• Other beneficiaries who want to go to work
• Additional state agencies and community partners
• To find out if a WISE event is happening near
  you, visit www.cessi.net/WISE

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So, How Is it Going So Far?

• As of May 2009, over 269,000 Tickets assigned (VR
  EN) about 22,000 of those assigned to about
  820 ENs
• March April 2009first consecutive months with
  over 1,000 new Tickets assigned to ENs!
• Total Ticket payments to ENs hit all-time highs
  after the new regulations went into effect
• There has been a steady increase in the number of
  Tickets assigned and Ticket payments requested
  under the new rules, telling us that the new
  payment structure is working

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Ticket Payments
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Ticket Payments