WHAT HAPPENS TO MY SSI BENEFITS IF I GO INTO A NURSING HOME OR HOSPITAL?

Generally, if you enter a nursing home or hospital (or other medical facility) where Medicaid pays for more than half of the cost of your care, your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit is limited to $30 a month. And, in some medical confinement situations, you may not even be eligible for any SSI benefit.

HOWEVER, DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE YOUR FULL BENEFIT WHILE INSTITUTIONALIZED? 

That is right, we have a special rule for people receiving SSI benefits who will be in a medical facility for 90 days or less, which allows them to receive their full benefit (including State Supplementation)—and all it takes to determine if you qualify is the following key pieces of information.

WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO PROVIDE?

Form SSA-186, Temporary Institutionalization Statement to Maintain Household and Physician Certification, is the principal way to establish TI benefits for a recipient. The form allows you to allege a statement of need to maintain your home or living arrangements and obtain the physician’s certification within one document. We need you or someone close to you (i.e., representative payee, family member, or friend) knowledgeable about your circumstances to report to SSA via form SSA-186, a statement in writing, telephone or in-person that:

• you entered a medical facility and will be there for 90 consecutive days or less, and
• while you are in the facility you need your SSI benefits to maintain your home or living arrangement where you may return upon discharge.

Are you having problems obtaining the above information?
We can help!

If you need assistance completing the above requirements, or obtaining the proper documentation, please contact a representative at your local SSA field office for help help or contact SSA customer service at 1-800-772-1213. We can also work directly with admissions offices so that we can obtain the information we need quickly.