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Ticket to Work Program
Ticket Program Basics
Course Objectives
Content:
• Describe the Ticket to Work program
• Identify three purposes of the Ticket to Work and Work
Incentives Improvement Act
• Discuss the benefits to beneficiaries who participate in the
program
• Review the duties and responsibilities of the contractor partners
in the Ticket to Work program
Application:
• Identify resources to aid you in becoming a successful EN
• Implement benefits discussion during the intake process2
Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act
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Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act
• President Clinton signed into law in 1999• Purposes
o Encourage states to enable beneficiaries to purchase necessary Medicaid coverage
o Provide continuing Medicare coverage while employedo Establish the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program
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Beneficiary Participation Benefits
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Employment Related Services
Employment Related Services
Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR)
Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR)
Service ProvidersService
Providers
Increased Earnings Potential
Increased Earnings Potential
Service Providers
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Service Providers
Employment Network (EN)
State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Agency
Partnership Plus
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State VR Agencies State VR Agencies Employment NetworkEmployment Network
Service Provider Roles
Social Security expects approved ENs to:•Increase the number of beneficiaries entering the workforce•Assist beneficiaries in becoming economically self-supporting•Provide the community with access to a pool of qualified applicants and workers with disabilities
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Payments to Employment Networks
• An outcome-based program• Payments are:
o Based on beneficiary milestones and outcomeso Associated with work and earnings the beneficiary achieves
after the ticket is assigned to the EN
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Outcome
• Earnings >= Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)• Zero Cash Benefit status• Payments for 36 or 60 months
Outcome
• Earnings >= Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)• Zero Cash Benefit status• Payments for 36 or 60 months
Outcome/Milestone
• Phase 1 Milestone – Earnings >= Trial Work Level (TWL) plus additional factors• Phase 2 Milestone – Earnings >= Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
Outcome/Milestone
• Phase 1 Milestone – Earnings >= Trial Work Level (TWL) plus additional factors• Phase 2 Milestone – Earnings >= Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
Payments to ENs(continued)
• Learn more about payments under the Ticket programo Visit
www.yourtickettowork.com for general information
o Visit https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/training for training presentations
o Visit https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/resource-documents for related resource documents
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Progress Check One
What are the main purposes of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act?
A. Encourage states to enable beneficiaries to purchase necessary Medicaid coverage
B. Provide continuing Medicare coverage for beneficiaries while employed
C. Increase Social Security payouts for beneficiaries who are disabled
D. Establish the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program
E. Provide retirement savings for beneficiaries with disabilities
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Progress Check Two
What are Social Security’s expectations of ENs regarding the goals of the Ticket to Work program?
A. Increase the number of beneficiaries entering the workforce
B. Assist beneficiaries in becoming financially self-supporting
C. Provide the community with access to a pool of qualified applicants and workers with disabilities
D. All of the above
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Key Partners in the Ticket Program
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Key Partners in Ticket Program
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Social Security Administration (SSA)
Operations Support Manager (OSM)
Beneficiary Access Support Services (BASS)
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Projects (WIPA)
Social Security
• Oversees the Ticket to Work program• Publishes and updates governing regulations• Final authority on all policy decisions• Determines which beneficiaries are Ticket-eligible• Approves requests to become Employment Networks• www.socialsecurity.gov/work/
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Operations Support Manager (OSM)
• Oversees the day-to-day operations of the Ticket program
• Maintains list of approved ENs• Provides orientation, training and support for ENs• Administers Ticket program processes
o Individual Work Plan (IWP)o Ticket assignment/unassignment processo Payment processes
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OSM (continued)
• Ensures program integrity and monitors EN performance• Facilitates partnerships• Authorizes payments to ENs• Maintains the Your Ticket to Work for Service Providers
website and a number of Help Desks• Connect with us on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn • Call (866) 949-3687 or visit the Your Ticket to Work
website at www.yourtickettowork.com
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Beneficiary Access Support Services
• Provides support to beneficiaries• Markets the Ticket program and Social Security work
incentives to beneficiaries• Administers a call center• Conducts online Work Incentive Seminar Events• Maintains the Choose Work website:
www.choosework.net• Offers outreach materials that ENs can use:
http://www.chooseworkttw.net/document-library/materials-for-providers/index.html
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Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Projects
• Supports working beneficiaries to make a successful transition to financial self-support
• WIPA services are free• WIPA staff can answer questions about how work and
earnings will affect a beneficiary’s federal, state and local benefits
• Find the WIPA in your area at: www.choosework.net
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Progress Check Three
Which organization provides training, technical
assistance, and administrative support to ENs?
A. Social Security
B. The Operations Support Manager (OSM)
C. Beneficiary Access and Support Services (BASS)
D. Work Incentive and Planning Assistance (WIPA) Projects
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Working with Ticket to Work
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Ticket to Work Program Summary
• Ticket - Signifies eligibility to participateo Age 18 through 64o Currently receiving SSI and/or SSDI
• Participationo Access to services/supports to enter employment and work
towards financial independenceo Voluntary and freeo Benefits of beneficiary participation
• Protection from medical CDRs
• Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits (EXR)
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Getting Started
• Do the services your EN offers match the beneficiary‘s service needs?
• Does the beneficiary have a previous work history or a history of prior earnings?
• Is the beneficiary likely to achieve Trial Work (TWL) or SGA level earnings?
• Is the beneficiary interested in becoming self-supporting?
• How much education has the beneficiary completed?• What skills or areas of expertise does the beneficiary
have?
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Other Considerations
• Limitations• Past Employment Issues• Strengths and Competencies• Fears• Housing• Childcare• Medication• Transportation • Not a good fit – Refer the beneficiary to BASS to learn
about other ENs serving the areas• Call 1.866.968.7842 or visit www.choosework.net
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Ticket Assignability
• Check Assignability via the: • Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) Systemo Call toll free:
1.866.949.3687, Select Option 1 to check Ticket assignability using the IVR system
• The Secure Provider Portal (Portal) www.yourtickettowork.com
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Progress Check Four
What are the advantages of beneficiary participation in the Ticket to Work program? (select three that apply)
A. Increased disability payments
B. Protection from medical CDRs
C. More medical insurance
D. Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits (EXR)
E. Opportunity to work and eliminate the need for disability benefits
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Individual Work Plan (IWP)
• A living document developed in partnership with the beneficiary
• Identifies beneficiary’s employment goal(s)
• Spells out the services and ongoing employment support the EN will provide to assist the beneficiary in achieving that goal
• Learn more be visiting: https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/individual-work-plan
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Timely Progress Review
• Social Security expects beneficiaries using their tickets to make steady progress towards financial independence
• OSM conducts Timely Progress Reviews (TPR) on each beneficiary who is using his or her ticketo Conducted at the end of every 12-month period of Ticket o Timely Progress Guidelines, which are progressive, are spelled out in
Ticket regulationso Based on educational attainment and/or work and earnings
• Impact of failing a TPR is lose of protection from medical CDRs
• Learn more at: https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/timely-progress-review
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Ticket Unassignment
• Either beneficiary or EN may unassign the ticket at any time
• Must notify OSM• Reason for unassignment request not required
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Progress Check Five
What is an IWP?
(select two that apply)
A. A template for each EN/beneficiary
B. A living document that represents an agreement between the EN and beneficiary
C. A contract between EN and the Social Security Administration
D. A document that identifies beneficiary’s employment goal(s) and the services the EN will provide
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Progress Check Six
How do TPR requirements align with Ticket to Work Program goals?
A. Makes sure beneficiaries are making expected progress toward self-supporting employment
B. Provides beneficiaries with more benefits
C.Ensures that ENs are paid in a timely manner
D.Ensures that BASS is meeting their requirements
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Progress Check Seven
Who can assign or unassign a ticket under the Ticket to Work program?
A. The beneficiary
B. The Employment Network
C.Either the beneficiary or the EN
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Improving the Ticket Program and Resources for Success
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Improving the Administration of the Ticket Program
• Movement in recent years to automated processes that increase the efficiency of the administrative processes necessary to operate as an EN
• Movement to new automated process will continue, including having some processes moved from the OSM to Social Security
• Stay tuned for important announcements about these changes
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OSM Phone Resources
Technical Assistance
Toll Free: 1.866.949.3687
Option 1: Ticket Assignability IVR system
Other Options: Payment and Systems Help Desks
FAX: 703.893.4020
TDD: 1.866.833.2967
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OSM Conference Calls
• Monthly calls with Social Security and the Operations Support Manager • All EN Call – First Thursday • All VR Call – Second Tuesday• All EN Payments Call – Last Tuesday
• Ticket Training Tuesdays• 503 Community of Practice
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OSM Website Resources
• The Portal• Information Center
• Upcoming Events• Training
• Ticket to Work Home: https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/home
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Questions
• Ticket to Work: www.yourtickettowork.com• Email: [email protected]• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourtickettowork• Twitter: https://twitter.com/tickettowork• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2414641• YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TTWPServiceProvider
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