Benefits
& Insurance
Facts and Tips About Public Benefits
Table of Contents
California
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
SDI is a short-term financial
assistance program for the disabled. You may collect benefits for up to one
year. This is an entitlement program which means you must have worked
in California
and paid into SDI through payroll taxes in order to collect. Contributions
must be recent and you must be attached to the labor force (working,
or looking
for work) when you become disabled. You should apply within 49 days of leaving
the work force, or be prepared to explain your delay. Self-employed
individuals
may pay into SDI's "elective coverage" program. Weekly awards range
from $50 to $885. Awards are based on the highest quarter of pay-in during
the four fiscal quarters prior to the most recent two (go back six months,
look for highest quarter in the previous 12 months). SDI's award calendar
moves forward every fiscal quarter. You may work part-time because of your
disability and still collect some SDI to make up for lost wages. SDI applications
are available at most doctors' offices, medical centers, and AIDS service
organizations. There is a seven-day mandatory wait period. Payment should
begin 10 to 14 days after you mail the application.
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Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI, Title 2)
SSDI is federal long-term
disability insurance. It is an entitlement program; you must have paid into
Social Security through F.I.C.A. payroll taxes in order to collect your
Social
Security Disability. Awards vary from $1 to about $1700 (2007) per
month, and are based on work history and the amount of F.I.C.A. paid. To
qualify, you must meet Social Security's definition of "disabled," meaning
your disability will keep you from doing any kind of work at all for up
to
one year. There is a five-month waiting period before payment begins. You
may backdate your claim as far back as your medical records substantiate
disability.
You may collect SSDI and State Disability together. After two years on SSDI
payments you will receive Medicare automatically (except for the lack of
out-patient
prescriptions, Medicare coverage is considered good health insurance). Application
processing time ranges from two to three months. Applications for SSDI should
be
made at local Social Security offices.
Supplemental
Security Income (SSI, Title 16)
A long-term financial
assistance program administered by Social Security for disabled people with
limited or no income. Assets are restricted to under $2,000, excluding
one
car and one residence. Assets include cash, checking and savings accounts,
stocks, bonds, pension plans, the cash value of life or burial insurance
plans,
real estate, or anything else of value. SSI currently pays up to $856 (2007)
per month in California
and automatically
includes Medi-Cal (Medicaid). Total income cannot exceed the SSI maximum
payment. Application time is two to three months. People with severe
HIV-symptomatic or AIDS
diagnoses (based on infections) may qualify for "presumptive eligibility."
With medical documentation, this means Social Security may award you up to
six months of "presumptive" payments while your claim is being
processed. Some Social Security offices can make the first payment immediately
upon application
if your documentation is in order.
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Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal is public health
insurance for the disabled and those with low income. It's called Medicaid
in most states. Resource and income limitations are identical to SSI.
Applicants
with income
over the SSI level, however, may still qualify for "share of cost"
Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal covers a broad range of services: doctor/dentist visits,
X-rays, lab tests, prescription drugs, eye care, chiropractic services,
hospitalization
and some skilled nursing and home care. Medi-Cal is accepted by all county
clinics and hospitals and a few private clinics and physicians. Application
can be made at County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) offices,
and takes one to three months to process. People who qualify for SSI will
automatically
get Medi-Cal. "Presumptive" Medi-Cal is identical to "presumptive"
SSI and takes five to 10 days.
Health
Insurance Premium Payments
If you are Medi-Cal eligible,
you may qualify for the Health Insurance Premium Payment program, to pay private
health insurance premiums. Disabled people who are on SDI or who are not quite
Medi-Cal eligible may qualify for another state program, CARE/HIPP, which
can pay for insurance premiums until Medi-Cal or Medicare is obtained.
General
Relief (GR)
Financial assistance for
people who do not meet Social Security's disability criteria, with extremely
limited incomes. Financial assets cannot exceed $50 at the time of application.
Car value is limited to $4,650; home value to $34,000. You can earn up to
$611 per month and still receive some GR. Monthly grant is $221 a month.
Application
should be made at local DPSS offices and takes approximately 30 to 45 days.
GR is a state/federal grant which must be paid back. If you are not disabled,
you will be assigned to a maximum of six days work per month. If you are
disabled, some of the GR you receive would be deducted from SSI awards
(usually only
those months between SSI application and award). You must bring proof of
disability with you upon application or be assigned to a work program.
GR recipients
may also collect Food Stamps.
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Food Stamps
Federal and state program
for low-income individuals and households. The maximum award for a single
individual is $149 a month. Gross monthly income for single
individuals
cannot exceed $931. Assets must be under $2,000; car value is unlimited for
disabled individuals, $4,650 for others. Awards vary with the number in
a
household. Application time is 30 to 45 days. Emergency cases may get Food
Stamps immediately. Applications should be made at local DPSS offices.
Food stamps
may be used at any grocery store, but not for tobacco, alcohol, pet food,
ready-to-eat food or cleaning products. SSI recipients in California receive
a food supplement as part of their award and are not eligible for Food Stamps.
Cal
Works
Federal and state financial
aid for low income families. There must be at least one child under 19 in
the family. One parent must be absent from the home or unable to work for
at least 30 days. Financial assets must be under $2,000 upon application;
car value cannot exceed $4,650. Recipients may qualify for Food Stamps and
Medi-Cal. Apply at local DPSS offices.
In-Home
Supportive Services (IHSS)
A state program providing
non-medical assistance for disabled people unable to care for themselves.
IHSS provides money to hire in-home assistance for personal care (dressing,
feeding, bathing, etc.) and domestic care (cleaning, food preparation). Financial
limits are identical to SSI. IHSS recipients qualify for Medi-Cal. Amount
of hours awarded is determined by an in-home assessment. Application is made
through local IHSS offices and takes approximately 30 days. Back to Top
Public
Benefits Available to Undocumented Individuals
The following public benefits
are exempt from the 8/22/96 "welfare reform" laws and are available to all
individuals and/or families regardless of their immigration status:
- Restricted
"emergency" Medi-Cal
- Medical and public
health services, including county funded hospitals, HIV and mental health
clinics.
- AIDS Drug Assistance
Program (ADAP)
- Testing and treatment
of communicable diseases (county tuberculosis clinics)
- Immunization programs
- Homeless shelters
- Violence prevention
programs
- Nutrition programs
(WIC, school lunch programs, soup kitchens and food banks)
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If you have questions
about APLA, becoming a client or about
any of the services we offer, call
us at 213.201.1600 during normal business
hours or send
an e-mail. We are happy
to help.
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