As many as one- third of all Social Security disability beneficiaries are unaware that the Social Security Administration also provides them with the opportunity to access help when it comes to returning to work after being on disability benefits.
The Ticket to Work program is a free program operated by the Social Security Administration and is aimed at helping individuals who have suffered a medical condition, illness, injury or disability that makes it difficult for them to work full time. When a person who has been on disability benefits feels that he/she is now healthy enough to work again, the individual can use the program to access help. This program is only applicable to Social Security Disability Income/Medicare beneficiaries and not for Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries.
The Ticket to Work program protects your benefit and healthcare during a nine month trial work period. The program also may allow for you to continue with Medicare/Medicaid even when your benefits may stop due to earnings. The platform is specifically devoted to the development of career opportunities for persons who have been on disability benefits and would like to explore work. In order to be eligible for support under the program, you must be between the ages of 18 and 64. The Ticket to Work program is a step towards complete financial independence and lowered dependence on disability benefits.
More than 50% of Social Security disability beneficiaries say that they will definitely return to work if given the opportunity to go back to work. However, employment opportunities for those on disability seem to have shrunk. According to sources, the number of disability beneficiaries finding a job dropped from 343,000 beneficiaries in 2016 to less than 30,000 beneficiaries in 2018.