Key Takeaways about Public Benefits:

• Most people with benefits are financially better off when they earn money at a job. 

• People who need Medicaid for healthcare and support services can earn more money and keep Medicaid through programs called 1619(b) and the M.E.D. Works. 

• There are ways to get easy-to-read information and services to understand benefits. 

Many people with disabilities worry about losing their benefits if they get a job. The good news is that the Social Security Administration has special rules to help people who work. These special rules are called “Work Incentives.”  

Work Incentives help people earn money and keep the benefits they need.  Examples of how these Work Incentives help people: 

• People who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can earn up to $38,906 a year and keep their Medicaid coverage through a Work Incentive called “1619(b).”  https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/1619b.htm  
• The M.E.D Works program provides Medicaid for individuals who receive more income than the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefit rate. This includes Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries as well as individuals on SSI whose earnings exceed the Indiana threshold for Medicaid under 1619(b). https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cclc/doc/bin-2024/English/benefitsfact-sheet-med-works.pdf  
• Youth and young adults who are in school can earn up to $9,230 (2024) each year without a reduction in their SSI check with a Work Incentive called the Student Earned Income Exclusion.  https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cclc/doc/bin2024/English/benefits-fact-sheet-student-earned-income-exclusion.pdf  
• People who get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can test their ability to work for at least 9 months without losing their benefit checks. This is called a Trial Work Period. https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cclc/doc/bin2024/English/benefits-fact-sheet-trial-work-period.pdf.

People who learn about these special rules earn more money than people who do not take the time to learn about them. A service called Work Incentives Benefits Counseling teaches people about their benefits and how to use Work Incentives to make more money.

How to Find Work Incentives Benefits Counseling Services 

There are three ways people can get Work Incentives, Benefits Counseling services: 

1. If a person is working with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), they can ask their VR Counselor to put these services on their Individual Plan for Employment (IPE). 
2. If a person is not working with VR, the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program might be an option. WIPA services are free. https://www.aspireindiana.org/community-programs/indiana-works-wipa    

Want to Learn More?

• Learn About Work Incentives by visiting the Indiana University Center on Community Living and Careers: https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cclc/employment/benefits-information/benefit-andwork-incentive-fact-sheets.html
• Save The Red Book - A Guide to Work Incentives and Employment Supports in your web browser favorites tab to keep on hand as a reference. https://www.ssa.gov/redbook/  
• Watch the Ticket to Work on-demand webinars about benefits and work: https://choosework.ssa.gov/webinars-tutorials/webinar-archives
• Need help or have questions? Connect with us easily using our online form or by phone at 765-569-2076.

Special notes: The image on this page is based on the 2024 SSI Individual Federal Benefit rate, and its original owner, Shannon Webb, produced it. The original publication can be found on this webpage: https://www.thinkabilitywi.org/s/article/Keeping-Your-Public-Benefits-While-Working.