WHAT'S HAPPENING

SOCIAL SECURITY'S LATEST RULE COULD MEAN BIGGER PAYMENTS TO RECIPEIENTS – IF IT PASSES

The Social Security Administration is looking to make a significant changes to the way that it determines monthly payments for people with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits.

Currently, SSI beneficiaries can see their payments docked — often by one-third — if someone else regularly provides them with meals or groceries. But under a new plan that would change.

The proposed rule, published on the Federal Register earlier this month, would remove food from the calculation of in-kind support and maintenance (ISM), which is unearned income in the form of food and/or shelter. Under the proposal, SSI applicants and recipients would no longer need to provide information about their food expenses for the agency to consider in its ISM calculations.

Currently, SSI payments are reduced by one-third if a person or couple is living in another person's home and getting food and shelter support from that person, according to the SSA. In this case, "support" is defined as any food, shelter or both that is given to someone or paid for by someone else.

"We have historically included in-kind receipt of food in our consideration because food assistance helps people meet their basic needs. However, the complexities of our current food (in-kind support and maintenance) policies may outweigh their utility," the Social Security Administration wrote in its proposal. "Moreover, the current (in-kind support and maintenance) policy may insert barriers into what would otherwise be an innocuous receipt of a meal or food from an individual's friends or family. The current requirements for reporting in-kind food receipts could discourage SSI applicants and recipients from receiving an often

NEW RULES: "The current requirements for reporting in-kind food receipts could discourage SSI recipients from receiving an often informal but important form of help."

informal but important form of help."

However, the plan does not include any changes to the way that SSI treats assistance with shelter, meaning that beneficiaries could still see their payments reduced if they do not contribute to rent, mortgage or utility costs for the place where they live.

"This rule will benefit members of our community, particularly those who share a household with supporters, or require assistance accessing food."

Even if the proposal is adopted, the Social Security Administration said it still intends to ask beneficiaries if they buy food separately from others in their household, if they eat all meals out and if they receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits.

Disability advocates are welcoming the move to update SSI regulations.

“We know that autistic people and our households are especially at risk for food

insecurity, and giving people more ways to get food without jeopardizing their benefits is a step toward addressing this," said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. "This rule will benefit members of our community, particularly those who share a household with supporters, or require assistance accessing food."

The agency wants to change the rule for a couple of reasons. One is to simplify its policy with the aim of improving the application, adjudication, compliance and comprehension of its rules. The other is to "promote equity by not disadvantaging an already vulnerable population" when they receive food assistance.

More than 7 million Americans receive SSI each month, with a maximum federal benefit of $914 for individuals and $1,371 for couples.

As of January 2022, the Social Security Administration said that it reduced the benefits of 793,000 recipients because they received help with food or shelter.

The proposed rule will be up for public comment through April 17 before it can be finalized.