Effective Dates: 11/14/2024 - Present Previous | Next

TN 7 (11-24)

DI 60075.010 Who is Eligible to Participate in the Promoting Opportunity Demonstration (POD)

The Office of Research, Demonstration, and Employment Support (ORDES) provided a list of 300,000 Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and concurrent beneficiaries to Mathematica Policy Research (MPR). The list contained beneficiaries who met the following criteria:

  1. 1. 

    between the ages of 20 and 62 throughout the duration of the project,

  2. 2. 

    entitled to Title II benefits based on disability,

  3. 3. 

    entitled as a primary beneficiary only (BIC = A)

  4. 4. 

    not participating and have never participated in a prior demonstration project (treatment or control group), and

  5. 5. 

    residing in one of the following 8 sites (catchment areas) according to our records, at the time of selection:

    • •

      Atlanta Region, Area 1– Alabama

    • •

      Boston Region, Areas 1 and 3 – Connecticut, Vermont

    • •

      Chicago Region, Area 3 – Michigan

    • •

      Dallas Region, Area 3 – Texas

    • •

      Kansas City Region, Area 2 – Nebraska

    • •

      Philadelphia Region, Area 3 – Maryland

    • •

      San Francisco Region, Areas 1 + 7 – California

NOTE: A beneficiary must have been entitled to SSDI as an HA only at the time of enrollment. If the beneficiary subsequently became dually entitled to another record while participating, the beneficiary was still be eligible for the POD. The dually entitled record was affected by the POD rules only if the HA record was fully offset.

NOTE: The POD has ended and recruitment is now closed. Beneficiaries that meet the criteria can no longer be enrolled.

A. Random assignment process

MPR solicited SSDI and concurrent beneficiaries using the list of 300,000 candidates provided by ORDES. If the beneficiary elected to participate in the demonstration, MPR randomly assigned the beneficiary to one of three groups:

1. Treatment group 1 (non-termination group)

Based on responses to its recruitment packets, MPR randomly assigned 5,000 SSDI and concurrent beneficiaries to treatment group 1 (T1) to receive the $1 for $2 offset. A T1 participant whose benefits reduced to zero (full offset) under the offset had their benefits suspended. They remained in suspense until earnings changed such that the offset did not reduce benefits to zero. Participants in T1 did not have their disability entitlement terminated due to work at any point during POD participation. T1 participants also received benefits counseling from a work incentive counselor (WIC).

2. Treatment group 2 (termination group)

Based on responses to its recruitment packets, MPR randomly assigned 5,000 SSDI and concurrent beneficiaries to treatment group 2 (T2). Participants in T2 received the same $1 for $2 offset as participants in T1, but if the SSDI benefit was reduced to zero under the offset for 12 consecutive months, we terminated the participant’s entitlement to SSDI. If a T2 participant reapplied and we awarded a new period of disability, then the beneficiary was eligible again for the POD offset beginning with their new month of entitlement (MOE). T2 participants also received benefits counseling from a WIC.

NOTE: Current SSDI rules applied to the reapplication process.

3. Control group

Based on responses to its recruitment packets, MPR randomly assigned 5,000 SSDI and concurrent beneficiaries to the control group. Members of the control group did not receive the $1 for $2 offset. Their earnings were subject to current SSDI rules. Control group members did not receive POD WIC services.

NOTE: We do not permit changes to an assignment group after assignment.

B. POD beneficiary moves out of the POD catchment area

1. Beneficiary remains in the United States

A POD participant remained eligible for the POD and offset even if the beneficiary no longer resided in one of the eight project catchment areas. If a POD participant moved out of the catchment area or into a different catchment area, Abt provided the beneficiary with the name and phone number of a new POD WIC and referral information pertinent to the move.

2. Beneficiary leaves the United States

If the beneficiary resided in a foreign country for more than 90 days, the beneficiary remained a POD participant, with the original start date of participation, but was ineligible for the $1 for $2 offset while outside the country.

3. Beneficiary returns to the United States

If the beneficiary returned to the United States, the beneficiary was eligible for the $1 for $2 benefit offset for any remaining months left in the original POD participation period.

 

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0460075010
DI 60075.010 - Who is Eligible to Participate in the Promoting Opportunity Demonstration (POD) - 11/14/2024
Batch run: 11/14/2024
Rev:11/14/2024