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

Melissa Gerber mgerber at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org
Thu Apr 2 19:31:46 UTC 2020



Melissa Gerber
Program  Manager
Abilities Unlimited

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Natasha Nakatsuka" <Nnakatsuka at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org>
> Date: April 2, 2020 at 7:13:00 AM HST
> To: Mgerber at abilitiesunlimitedhi.org, 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
> Date:    Thu, April 2, 2020 5:47 am
> To:      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
> Date:    Thu, April 2, 2020 5:47 am
> To:      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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