Is Permanent Disability Separate From Social Security?

If you have a permanent disability, you can qualify to receive Social Security benefits. If your condition makes you unable to work, you qualify to receive benefits from the program known as Social Security Disability. If your disability is permanent, but not severe enough to make you unable to work, as long as your income is low, you may qualify to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits.

Social Security Disability

• Social Security Disability (SSD) is a Social Security program that gives benefits to those with disabilities. Permanent disability is part of the concept of Social Security Disability benefits, since, to qualify to receive these benefits, you must have a permanent disability, which means that it must have a duration of 12 months or more or it must be expected to result in death. If you have worked and paid Social Security tax before applying for benefits, and your disability fits these definitions, you are eligible to receive Social Security Disability benefits. You can apply by calling the Social Security office or contacting Social Security through its website (see Resources).

Supplemental Security Income

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) also gives benefits to those who have a disability. Unlike with the SSD program, your condition does not necessarily have to be permanent. However, if you have a permanent condition, you can still qualify for SSI benefits. The advantage of the SSI program is that, if you have low income and you do not qualify to receive SSD benefits, you can qualify for SSI benefits. This is possible because SSI does not require you to have worked and paid Social Security tax to be eligible for benefits, and you are allowed to continue working while receiving those benefits. The only requirement is to have a low income and to be disabled (either permanently or not), blind or older than 65 years of age.

Medicare

• If you have a permanent disability, you might also qualify to receive Medicare benefits. Medicare is also run by the Social Security Administration, and it is, therefore, a Social Security program. Medicare is a type of public health insurance that helps eligible recipients to pay for medical costs. If you have a permanent disability that qualifies you to receive Social Security Disability benefits, you qualify to receive Medicare after 24 months of receiving disability benefits.

Social Security Benefits

• Due to your permanent disability, you might be able to get more than one type of benefit. If you meet the requirements for all three programs, you can apply and receive benefits from all three programs. Having a permanent disability (and having paid Social Security tax) makes you eligible to SSD benefits. If you have a low income, you can add SSI benefits to your SSD benefits, and after 24 months of receiving benefits, you can enroll in Medicare.