Effective Dates: 07/15/2024 - Present Previous | Next

TN 4 (07-24)

DI 55002.010 Other Policies About Ticket Eligibility

A. Policy – beneficiary/recipient choice

The Ticket to Work program is voluntary.

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    A beneficiary/recipient has the option of deciding when and whether to assign their ticket.

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    A beneficiary/recipient may choose to assign the ticket to any Employment Network (EN) or to a State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency (see DI 55001.005C.5.).

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    An EN may select the beneficiaries/recipients to whom it will offer services based on factors such as its assessment of the needs of the beneficiary/recipient and its ability to help the individual. State VR agencies follow the guidelines in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, when determining if a beneficiary/recipient is eligible for VR services.

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    At any point, either an EN or a beneficiary/recipient may choose to end their relationship.

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    A beneficiary's/recipient's non-use of the ticket will not affect entitlement to or eligibility for disability/blindness-based benefits.

B. Policy – number of tickets

1. One ticket per period of entitlement or eligibility

Generally, a beneficiary/recipient, who meets the requirements in DI 55002.005, may receive only one ticket during any period when the beneficiary/recipient is either:

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    entitled to title II benefits based on disability; or

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    eligible for title XVI benefits based on disability or blindness and eligibility has not terminated.

2. Exception – lost tickets

SSA will replace lost tickets (see DI 55002.030C). However a physical, paper ticket is not necessary to receive services under the Ticket to Work program, as long as the beneficiary/recipient is eligible for a ticket.

3. EXR cases

a. General rule

Generally, an individual whose entitlement to or eligibility for disability/blindness benefits terminated because of work activity or earnings will receive another ticket in the month in which:

When SSA issues another ticket to a reinstated beneficiary/recipient, SSA will terminate any ticket issued as a result of the earlier entitlement to or eligibility for benefits (see DI 55002.055A.2.b.).

b. Exception – former concurrent beneficiary's entitlement/eligibility was continuous under the other program

SSA will not issue another ticket in an EXR case, if the beneficiary/recipient had been a former concurrent disability/blindness beneficiary and their entitlement/eligibility under the other program continued.

EXAMPLE: An individual receives concurrent disability/blindness-based benefits and is found eligible for a ticket. Subsequently, the individual goes to work and the work causes the title II entitlement to terminate, but not the title XVI eligibility. Then, the individual stops work, requests EXR, and has their entitlement to title II benefits reinstated (i.e., there is a favorable medical decision). This individual will not receive another ticket because their eligibility under title XVI never stopped.

C. Policy – when an individual is ticket-eligible

An individual is ticket-eligible as of the date SSA selects the record, not the date SSA mails the ticket-eligibility letter. Ticket eligibility information appears on ticket queries (see DI 55002.025). A ticket-eligible individual does not need a physical ticket in order to contact an EN or State VR agency about services, assign their ticket, or receive services.

D. Policy – requirements for assigning or reassigning a ticket

Individuals with tickets cannot automatically assign or reassign them to an EN or State VR agency. Certain requirements must be satisfied and these are discussed in DI 55025.001B.1., DI 55025.001B.2. and DI 55025.001B.5.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0455002010
DI 55002.010 - Other Policies About Ticket Eligibility - 07/15/2024
Batch run: 10/01/2024
Rev:07/15/2024