TN 1 (10-02)

Citations:

Soc. Sec. Act as Amended in 1999, §§ 1148(b)(1) and (2); P.L. 106-107, 101(a), (d)(1), and (e)(2)(A) and (B); 20 CFR 411.120 through 411.135 and 411.155

A. Policy — issuance, use, and termination of a ticket

Under the Ticket to Work program, SSA will issue tickets to eligible (see DI 55002.005) Social Security disability beneficiaries and disabled and blind SSI recipients. Beneficiaries/recipients may use their tickets to obtain employment, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and other support services that will assist them in obtaining, regaining, and maintaining self-supporting employment. Once a ticket terminates (see DI 55002.055), a beneficiary/recipient may no longer use the ticket to obtain these services.

B. Process – the system selection of eligible beneficiaries/recipients

1. The system identifies ticket-eligible beneficiaries/recipients

A systems' run will identify the first group of ticket-eligible beneficiaries/recipients based on data recorded to the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR), the Supplemental Security Income Record (SSR), and the Disability Control File (DCF) (see DI 55002.035B and DI 55002.035C).

2. Effect of subsequent coding changes

On a daily basis, thereafter, the system will look for coding changes to the MBR, SSR, and DCF.

a. Record not previously selected

If a record was not previously selected and a coding change now makes the beneficiary/recipient ticket-eligible, the system will annotate the record as ticket-eligible and send the beneficiary/recipient a ticket during the next scheduled mailing (see DI 55002.015B and DI 55002.015C).

b. Record previously selected

If a record was previously selected and a coding change now removes the beneficiary/recipient from a ticket-eligible status, one of two things can occur. Either the system will note that the beneficiary/recipient does not currently have an “assignable” ticket (see DI 55025.001B.1.) or the ticket has terminated.

• The practical effect of not having an “assignable” ticket is that the ticket remains valid, but the beneficiary/recipient cannot assign it to a provider. In other words, SSA will not take the ticket back. Those who have not yet assigned their tickets cannot do so until the ticket becomes assignable again. However, those who have assigned their tickets to providers may continue to participate in the Ticket program even though they do not currently have assignable tickets.

• The practical effect of having a terminated ticket is that it is no longer valid.

C. Process – role of field components in ticket eligibility issues

1. Assist beneficiaries/recipients with ticket-eligibility questions

Field components assist beneficiaries/recipients with questions about when tickets will be mailed (see DI 55002.015 and DI 55002.016), why the system did not select their records for a ticket (see DI 55002.035), and why their tickets terminated.

2. Input corrections and updates to the MBR, SSR, and DCF

When appropriate, Field Office (FO) and Program Center (PC) staff input data corrections and updates to the MBR, SSR, and DCF (see DI 55002.045), to enable beneficiaries/recipients to get a ticket, move into “assignable” status, or to be moved from ticket-terminated status.