Are there any different non-medical requirements between Social Security Disability Insurance [SSD] and Supplemental Security Income—Disability [SSI]?
Yes. The differences have nothing to do with medical disability. The same medical definition applies to both, as we explain below. Instead, the differences have to do with the non-medical requirements for each program. One program is an insurance program for disabled workers, the other a safety net for disabled persons who meet poverty guidelines. SSD is the insurance program. Like any insurance, it requires a premium to have coverage. For SSD, the premiums are paid when taxes are paid on earnings, from wage labor or self-employment income from work. If you are medically disabled and have worked outside the home for pay, SSD is the program that can cover you, alone or in combination with SSI. SSI is not an insurance program, but the safety net. It provides benefits if you are medically disabled, even if you are not insured under SSD, so long as you have no financial resources.
Related Questions
- Is the medical definition of disability for Social Security Disability Insurance [SSD] and Supplemental Security Income—Disability [SSI] the same or different?
- Are there any different non-medical requirements between Social Security Disability Insurance [SSD] and Supplemental Security Income—Disability [SSI]?
- How is Supplemental Security Income (SSI) different from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?
