Ignorance is bliss.. or is it?: The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs

The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs are the largest of several Federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by the Social Security Administration and only individuals who have a disability and meet medical criteria may qualify for benefits under either program.

Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured," meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.

Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.

When you apply for either program, we will collect medical and other information from you and make a decision about whether or not you meet Social Security's definition of disability. Periodically, we will need updated information about your condition.

What We Mean By Disability

The definition of disability under Social Security is different than other programs. Social Security pays only for total disability.

No benefits are payable for partial disability or for short-term disability.

We consider you disabled under Social Security rules if all of the following are true:

· You cannot do work that you did before because of your medical condition.

· You cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition.

· Your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.

This is a strict definition of disability. Social Security program rules assume that working families have access to other resources to provide support during periods of short-term disabilities, including workers' compensation, insurance, savings, and investments.