The Social Security Administration recognizes that people in Houston and across the nation who have minimal income and are blind, disabled or are 65 years-old and up, need special help when it comes to covering their expenses. Thus, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is designed to help people who are in this position.
A prior post on this blog discussed the fact that people who receive SSI benefits can still pursue employment income. Likewise, SSI recipients can also receive benefits through other governmental programs, without jeopardizing their SSI benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), for example, is a federally organized program that seeks to safeguard the country’s health by providing assistance to low income households so that they can raise their levels of nutrition. Nutrition assistance through SNAP may be available to people who also get SSI, regardless of whether everyone else in that person’s household is also receiving SSI benefits.
Medicaid is another program that may be available for people even though they already receive SSI. Medicaid is designed to help people who have low income and available resources, with the costs of their medical expenses.
SSI benefits are an important means of help for many people in Houston and all throughout Texas. However, it is not necessarily enough, on its own, to completely cover a recipient’s living expenses. Therefore, SSI beneficiaries can still receive help from other governmental programs, while still retaining their SSI benefits.
Anyone who needs help with applying for SSI benefits, or appealing denied SSI claims, should contact an attorney familiar with SSI and other Social Security disability programs.
Source: Social Security Administration, “Supplemental Security Income (SSI),” Accessed on Dec. 11, 2015