Ticket to Work Program
Ticket Program Basics
Course Objectives
Content:
• Describe the Ticket to Work program
• Identify three purposes of the Ticket to Work and Work
Incentives Improvement Act
• Discuss the benefits to beneficiaries who participate in the
program
• Review the duties and responsibilities of the contractor partners
in the Ticket to Work program
Application:
• Identify resources to aid you in becoming a successful EN
• Implement benefits discussion during the intake process
2
Ticket to Work and Work Incentives
Improvement Act
3
Ticket to Work and
Work Incentives Improvement Act
• President Clinton signed into law in 1999
• Purposes
o Encourage states to enable beneficiaries to purchase necessary
Medicaid coverage
o Provide continuing Medicare coverage while employed
o Establish the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program
4
Beneficiary Participation Benefits
Employment
Related
Services
Continuing
Disability
Reviews
(CDR)
Service
Providers
Increased
Earnings
Potential
5
Service Providers
State Vocational
Rehabilitation (VR)
Agency
Employment
Network (EN)
Service
Providers
6
Partnership Plus
State VR Agencies
Employment Network
7
Service Provider Roles
Social Security expects approved ENs to:
• Increase the number of beneficiaries entering the workforce
• Assist beneficiaries in becoming economically self-supporting
• Provide the community with access to a pool of qualified applicants
and workers with disabilities
8
Payments to Employment Networks
• An outcome-based program
• Payments are:
o Based on beneficiary milestones and outcomes
o Associated with work and earnings the beneficiary achieves after
the ticket is assigned to the EN
Outcome
Outcome/Milestone
• Earnings >= Substantial
Gainful Activity (SGA)
• Zero Cash Benefit
status
• Payments for 36 or 60
months
• Phase 1 Milestone –
Earnings >= Trial Work
Level (TWL) plus
additional factors
• Phase 2 Milestone –
Earnings >= Substantial
Gainful Activity (SGA)
9
Payments to ENs
(continued)
• Learn more about
payments under the
Ticket program
o Visit
www.yourtickettowork.com for
general information
o Visit
https://yourtickettowork.com/w
eb/ttw/training for training
presentations
o Visit
https://yourtickettowork.com/w
eb/ttw/resource-documents for
related resource documents
10
Progress Check One
What are the main purposes of the Ticket to Work and
Work Incentives Improvement Act?
A. Encourage states to enable beneficiaries to purchase necessary
Medicaid coverage
B. Provide continuing Medicare coverage for beneficiaries while
employed
C. Increase Social Security payouts for beneficiaries who are
disabled
D. Establish the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program
E. Provide retirement savings for beneficiaries with disabilities
11
Progress Check Two
What are Social Security’s expectations of ENs regarding
the goals of the Ticket to Work program?
A. Increase the number of beneficiaries entering the
workforce
B. Assist beneficiaries in becoming financially selfsupporting
C. Provide the community with access to a pool of qualified
applicants and workers with disabilities
D. All of the above
12
Key Partners in the Ticket Program
13
Key Partners in Ticket Program
Social Security Administration
(SSA)
Operations Support Manager
(OSM)
Beneficiary Access Support Services
(BASS)
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Projects
(WIPA)
14
Social Security
•
•
•
•
•
•
Oversees the Ticket to Work program
Publishes and updates governing regulations
Final authority on all policy decisions
Determines which beneficiaries are Ticket-eligible
Approves requests to become Employment Networks
www.socialsecurity.gov/work/
15
Operations Support Manager (OSM)
• Oversees the day-to-day operations of the Ticket
program
• Maintains list of approved ENs
• Provides orientation, training and support for ENs
• Administers Ticket program processes
o Individual Work Plan (IWP)
o Ticket assignment/unassignment process
o Payment processes
16
OSM (continued)
•
•
•
•
Ensures program integrity and monitors EN performance
Facilitates partnerships
Authorizes payments to ENs
Maintains the Your Ticket to Work for Service Providers
website and a number of Help Desks
• Connect with us on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn
• Call (866) 949-3687 or visit the Your Ticket to Work
website at www.yourtickettowork.com
17
Beneficiary Access Support Services
• Provides support to beneficiaries
• Markets the Ticket program and Social Security work
incentives to beneficiaries
• Administers a call center
• Conducts online Work Incentive Seminar Events
• Maintains the Choose Work website:
www.choosework.net
• Offers outreach materials that ENs can use:
http://www.chooseworkttw.net/documentlibrary/materials-for-providers/index.html
18
Work Incentives
Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Projects
• Supports working beneficiaries to make a successful
transition to financial self-support
• WIPA services are free
• WIPA staff can answer questions about how work and
earnings will affect a beneficiary’s federal, state and local
benefits
• Find the WIPA in your area at: www.choosework.net
19
Progress Check Three
Which organization provides training, technical
assistance, and administrative support to ENs?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Social Security
The Operations Support Manager (OSM)
Beneficiary Access and Support Services (BASS)
Work Incentive and Planning Assistance (WIPA)
Projects
20
Working with Ticket to Work
21
Ticket to Work Program Summary
• Ticket - Signifies eligibility to participate
o Age 18 through 64
o Currently receiving SSI and/or SSDI
• Participation
o Access to services/supports to enter employment and work
towards financial independence
o Voluntary and free
o Benefits of beneficiary participation
• Protection from medical CDRs
• Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits (EXR)
22
Getting Started
• Do the services your EN offers match the beneficiary‘s
service needs?
• Does the beneficiary have a previous work history or a
history of prior earnings?
• Is the beneficiary likely to achieve Trial Work (TWL) or
SGA level earnings?
• Is the beneficiary interested in becoming selfsupporting?
• How much education has the beneficiary completed?
• What skills or areas of expertise does the beneficiary
have?
23
Other Considerations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Limitations
Past Employment Issues
Strengths and Competencies
Fears
Housing
Childcare
Medication
Transportation
Not a good fit – Refer the beneficiary to BASS to learn
about other ENs serving the areas
• Call 1.866.968.7842 or visit www.choosework.net
24
Ticket Assignability
• Check Assignability via
the:
• Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) System
o Call toll free:
1.866.949.3687, Select
Option 1 to check Ticket
assignability using the IVR
system
• The Secure Provider Portal
(Portal)
www.yourtickettowork.com
25
Progress Check Four
What are the advantages of beneficiary participation in
the Ticket to Work program? (select three that apply)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Increased disability payments
Protection from medical CDRs
More medical insurance
Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits (EXR)
Opportunity to work and eliminate the need for disability
benefits
26
Individual Work Plan (IWP)
• A living document developed in partnership with the
beneficiary
• Identifies beneficiary’s employment goal(s)
• Spells out the services and ongoing employment support
the EN will provide to assist the beneficiary in achieving
that goal
• Learn more be visiting:
https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/individual-work-plan
27
Timely Progress Review
• Social Security expects beneficiaries using their tickets to make
steady progress towards financial independence
• OSM conducts Timely Progress Reviews (TPR) on each beneficiary
who is using his or her ticket
o Conducted at the end of every 12-month period of Ticket
o Timely Progress Guidelines, which are progressive, are spelled out in
Ticket regulations
o Based on educational attainment and/or work and earnings
• Impact of failing a TPR is lose of protection from medical CDRs
• Learn more at: https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/timelyprogress-review
28
Ticket Unassignment
• Either beneficiary or EN may unassign the ticket at any
time
• Must notify OSM
• Reason for unassignment request not required
29
Progress Check Five
What is an IWP?
(select two that apply)
A. A template for each EN/beneficiary
B. A living document that represents an agreement
between the EN and beneficiary
C. A contract between EN and the Social Security
Administration
D. A document that identifies beneficiary’s employment
goal(s) and the services the EN will provide
30
Progress Check Six
How do TPR requirements align with Ticket to Work
Program goals?
A. Makes sure beneficiaries are making expected
progress toward self-supporting employment
B. Provides beneficiaries with more benefits
C. Ensures that ENs are paid in a timely manner
D. Ensures that BASS is meeting their requirements
31
Progress Check Seven
Who can assign or unassign a ticket under the Ticket to
Work program?
A. The beneficiary
B. The Employment Network
C. Either the beneficiary or the EN
32
Improving the Ticket Program and
Resources for Success
33
Improving the Administration of
the Ticket Program
• Movement in recent years to automated processes that
increase the efficiency of the administrative processes
necessary to operate as an EN
• Movement to new automated process will continue,
including having some processes moved from the OSM
to Social Security
• Stay tuned for important announcements about these
changes
34
OSM Phone Resources
Technical Assistance
Toll Free: 1.866.949.3687
Option 1: Ticket Assignability
IVR system
Other Options: Payment and
Systems Help Desks
FAX: 703.893.4020
TDD: 1.866.833.2967
35
OSM Conference Calls
• Monthly calls with Social Security and the Operations
Support Manager
• All EN Call – First Thursday
• All VR Call – Second Tuesday
• All EN Payments Call – Last Tuesday
• Ticket Training Tuesdays
• 503 Community of Practice
36
OSM Website Resources
• The Portal
• Information Center
• Upcoming Events
• Training
• Ticket to Work Home:
https://yourtickettowork.c
om/web/ttw/home
37
Questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ticket to Work: www.yourtickettowork.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourtickettowork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tickettowork
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2414641
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TTWPServiceProvider
38