[HIABS] [Fwd: Final Cornell Memo on COVID-19 and benefits]

Thu Apr 2 23:39:55 UTC 2020

Thanks Melissa: good article. 

For our presentation on Monday, or whenever we do it, I am thinking we should schedule it for say 3:00 PM, HST, and send an invite for distribution to all the states; 3:00 PM here would be 9:00 EDT. This time would make it feasible for anyone on the mainland to listen in.

About presenters, I am thinking that Virgil should open the event with some general welcoming remarks. After that, I will be happy to do some of the presentation, especially about SSDI and SSI concerns, but wondering if Melissa, Dean, Diana, and/or someone else can talk about other points, especially details of the EIP and also UI eligibility. I may be able to recruit Michael Dalto from Baltimore to present but don’t know if there would be a cost; thinking we shouldn’t pay someone. I have already done 2 presentations with Michael so know we can work well together.

About the topic for the zoom invite, I would say: “What you need to know about new options for financial help resulting from the COVID-19 emergency. Join us for an explanation of opportunities, issues, and what you can expect; especially important for people who get SSDI and/or SSI.” 

Thoughts anyone? Hinking we should have a meeting over the weekend to discuss. Also, we should also be sure this meeting is recorded so we can send out the link for anyone to hear it later.T

Best and aloha,

James Gashel

M: (808) 234-9259

E:  <mailto:jgashel0923 at gmail.com> jgashel0923 at gmail.com

Connect with me on  <https://www.facebook.com/james.gashel> FaceBook, or

Follow me on  <https://twitter.com/JGashel> Twitter

From: Melissa Gerber <mgerber at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org> 
Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2020 9:32 AM
To: dean.patriot at gmail.com; diannagjones at gmail.com; 808virgil at gmail.com; 808keim at gmail.com; Gloria Tuuao <gtuuao at hawaii.edu>; KLaconsay at dhs.hawaii.gov; Kyle Laconsay <hearkylaugh at gmail.com>; snoopytdr at aol.com; sgashel at comcast.net; SKYCOMHAWAII at msn.com; shonteljones1 at gmail.com; Shell Cantan <jrcantan at yahoo.com>; hammond.kona at yahoo.com; Nani Fife <nanifife at aol.com>; nfb-hi at nfbnet.org; Michael Norton <michael at tkprivee.com>; dabeachbumz at hotmail.com; khamtoun at gmail.com; Jenny Buhler <jabuhle at gmail.com>; jksniffen at gmail.com; joelcho at hawaii.rr.com; jgashel0923 at gmail.com; hiabs at nfbnet.org; dakasami at gmail.com; moifeva at aol.com; dgabe808 at gmail.com; dmaurer68 at gmail.com; danealani at gmail.com; chong.curtis at gmail.com; cha.m.smith at icloud.com; Cassie Certeza <cmcerteza at gmail.com>; Brenda Lucas <bluca72 at gmail.com>; young.brandon4 at gmail.com; ulalamama18 at gmail.com; lemke at hawaii.edu; Anastacia Fong <Anastacia808 at yahoo.com>; ally.keene at verizon.net; yvettecr at yahoo.com; shannoncantan.nfb at gmail.com; shannon.cantan at gmail.com; rachel.s.brandt at gmail.com; mserika_2006 at yahoo.com; makapaa1961 at gmail.com
Subject: Fwd: [Fwd: Final Cornell Memo on COVID-19 and benefits]

Melissa Gerber

Program  Manager

Abilities Unlimited

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Natasha Nakatsuka" <Nnakatsuka at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org <mailto:Nnakatsuka at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org> >
Date: April 2, 2020 at 7:13:00 AM HST
To: Mgerber at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org <mailto:Mgerber at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org> , msuehiro at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org <mailto:msuehiro at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org> 
Subject: [Fwd: Final Cornell Memo on COVID-19 and benefits]

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Final Cornell Memo on COVID-19 and benefits
From:    rac79 at cornell.edu <mailto:rac79 at cornell.edu> 
Date:    Thu, April 2, 2020 5:47 am
To:      nnakatsuka at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org <mailto:nnakatsuka at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org> 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

covid-19 and SOCIAL INSURAnce Programs With ongoing impact of covid-19
still not fully understood by the community at large, individuals with
disabilities who regularly access a series of public benefits are left
with a variety of questions about the impact of the various federal and
state legislative and administrative actions on these various benefits. 
Key language in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
(CARES Act) serves as a guidepost from which the impact on benefits can
be better understood. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any
refund (or advance payment with respect to a refundable credit) made to
any individual under this title shall not be taken into account as
income, and shall not be taken into account as resources for a period of
12 months from receipt, for purposes of determining the eligibility of
such individual (or any other individual) for benefits or assistance (or
the amount or extent of benefits or assistance) under any Federal program
or under any State or local program financed in whole or in part with
Federal funds. 26 U.S. Code § 6409     Supplemental Security
Income (SSI): Individuals who are receiving SSI need to be aware of
several key elements related to the stimulus payment: 1.       Stimulus
payments are NOT taxable. 2.       Stimulus payments received by the
individual that are initiated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security Act (CARES Act) will not counts as income in the
calculation of the individual’s SSI amount for that month(26 U.S.
Code § 6409).   3.       Stimulus payments will not be counted as
“resources” for a twelve month period following the receipt
of the funds (26 U.S. Code § 6409). Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI), Disabled Widow(er) Benefits (DWB), Childhood Disability
Benefits (CDB) The stimulus payment will have no impact on any of these
Title II benefits:  SSDI, DWB, CDB, and SSA Retirement.  These benefits
are classified as insurance benefits and are NOT impacted by unearned
income.  In addition, the stimulus payments will NOT be taxable.   Please
note that Title II benefits are SSA benefits.  SSI benefits are federal
welfare benefits.  At any time when the Act refers to “Social
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Final Cornell Memo on COVID-19 and benefits
From:    rac79 at cornell.edu <mailto:rac79 at cornell.edu> 
Date:    Thu, April 2, 2020 5:47 am
To:      nnakatsuka at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org <mailto:nnakatsuka at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org> 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

covid-19 and SOCIAL INSURAnce Programs With ongoing impact of covid-19
still not fully understood by the community at large, individuals with
disabilities who regularly access a series of public benefits are left
with a variety of questions about the impact of the various federal and
state legislative and administrative actions on these various benefits. 
Key language in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
(CARES Act) serves as a guidepost from which the impact on benefits can
be better understood. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any
refund (or advance payment with respect to a refundable credit) made to
any individual under this title shall not be taken into account as
income, and shall not be taken into account as resources for a period of
12 months from receipt, for purposes of determining the eligibility of
such individual (or any other individual) for benefits or assistance (or
the amount or extent of benefits or assistance) under any Federal program
or under any State or local program financed in whole or in part with
Federal funds. 26 U.S. Code § 6409     Supplemental Security
Income (SSI): Individuals who are receiving SSI need to be aware of
several key elements related to the stimulus payment: 1.       Stimulus
payments are NOT taxable. 2.       Stimulus payments received by the
individual that are initiated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security Act (CARES Act) will not counts as income in the
calculation of the individual’s SSI amount for that month(26 U.S.
Code § 6409).   3.       Stimulus payments will not be counted as
“resources” for a twelve month period following the receipt
of the funds (26 U.S. Code § 6409). Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI), Disabled Widow(er) Benefits (DWB), Childhood Disability
Benefits (CDB) The stimulus payment will have no impact on any of these
Title II benefits:  SSDI, DWB, CDB, and SSA Retirement.  These benefits
are classified as insurance benefits and are NOT impacted by unearned
income.  In addition, the stimulus payments will NOT be taxable.   Please
note that Title II benefits are SSA benefits.  SSI benefits are federal
welfare benefits.  At any time when the Act refers to “Social
Security Benefits, “SSI” in not included unless specifically
stated by the statute.   Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
There is no impact on SNAP benefits due to the receipt of a stimulus
payment in accordance with 26 U.S. Code § 6409. Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) There is no impact on HUD rent subsidies due to the
receipt of the stimulus funds.  Further, HUD housing does not consider an
individual’s resources.  Only the income produced by the resource,
bank interest, is considered by HUD. *Please check your state rules
concerning and state public housing in which an individual may be living.
 HUD has also extended a “tailored set of mortgage payment relief
options for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages”. 
“Effective immediately for borrowers with a financial hardship that
makes them unable to pay their mortgage due to the COVID-19 National
Emergency, mortgage servicers must extend deferred or reduced mortgage
payment options - called forbearance - for up to six months, and must
provide an additional six months of forbearance if requested by the
borrower”[1]. Medicaid In all states that have accepted the Federal
Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) 6.2% increase from the federal
government (only NYS is in question), Medicaid recipients who received
benefits before the COVID-19 crisis, or become eligible during the crisis
cannot be terminated from Medicaid.   On a case by case basis, states may
change the category or eligibility, e.g., from regular Medicaid to
1619(b) or Medicaid Buy-In for Working People with Disabilities
(MBI-WPD), but terminations of coverage will not be allowed. Medicare The
stimulus payment will have no impact on Medicare premiums or eligibility.
Medicare Savings Plans (MSPs), those programs that see Medicaid paying
all or part of Medicare premiums for Parts B and D, will also not be
impacted by the stimulus payments in accordance with above language (26
U.S. Code § 6409).   Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) In accordance with the language in 26 U.S. Code § 6409, the
stimulus payment will have no impact on TANF eligibility or resource
levels for a 12 month period from receipt of the funds.   Unemployment
Insurance (UI) Each state is responsible for establishing its own UI
benefits eligibility.  In general, individuals qualify when: ü      
Are unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states, this means
you have to have separated from your last job due to a lack of available
work. ü  Meet work and wage requirements. You must meet your
state’s requirements for wages earned or time worked during an
established period of time referred to as a "base period." In
most states, this is usually the first four out of the last five
completed calendar quarters before the time that your claim is filed.
ü  Meet any additional state requirements. Find details of your own
state’s program. [2]     Important UI Facts:  ·         UI
has been extended beyond the “normal” 26 weeks to 39 weeks.
*Note: §  Massachusetts residents will receive 43 weeks as the
Commonwealth provides 30 weeks of UI in normal circumstances.   § 
If your state pays other than 26 weeks in normal circumstances, simply
add 13 weeks to the number of state weeks of payment ·         The
federal government will also add $600 per week to the maximum state U/I
benefit paid.  For instance, if your state maximum payment is $450 per
week, the weekly check will be $1045.  There appears to be no variation
in payment for those not receiving the maximum in your states so we must
assume, until we receive other information that the $600 per week will be
added to all UI amounts paid by the state. ·         For SSD/I
workers with disabilities that will have to meet your state “base
rate”; meaning that they have to have worked long enough and earned
enough to be eligible for UI.  See your state’s UI website for this
information.  Many websites also have calculators to estimate payments.
Important UI and SSI Facts: ·         SSI recipients are required
to apply for any other benefit they may be eligible to receive when told
of potential eligibility.  The SSA Program Operations Manual System
(POMS) states: ü  SSA advises him/her, on a written, dated notice,
of potential eligibility for other benefits; and  ü  He/she does not
take all appropriate steps to file for and, if eligible, obtain any such
payments within 30 days of receipt of such notice. ·         For
those SSI recipients that meet your state’s UI “base
period” the potential of receiving $2400 plus the state U/I benefit
exists.  SSI recipients could receive much more through the UI program
than through the SSI program.  Thus, they should be encouraged to apply
ASAP for UI. Given that be maximum period of receipt of UI is 43 months,
SSI recipients will still be suspended when UI ends.  Please note: ü
At the conclusion of the UI, the recipient MUST call SSA to have the SSI
reinstated. ü  Any EXCESS resources held at the time reinstatement
is requested will count toward the resource limit. ü  Achieving a
Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts or other protected savings
mechanisms could be considered, if eligible, to ensure SSI resource rules
are met.

released April 2, 2020   [1] HUD (2020, April 1).  HUD issues new CARES
act mortgage payment relief for FHA single family homeowners. HUD
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_20_048  
[2] DOL (2020, April, 2). How do I file for unemployment insurance?  DOL
https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/unemployment-insurance

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