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Incentive Payments For State And Local Institutions Under Social Security ProgramsSSA Publication No. 05-10088, October 2003, (Recycle prior editions) [View .pdf] |
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The Social Security and SSI programsThe Social Security program provides disability, retirement and survivors benefits to qualified individuals and their families based on the worker’s earnings. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that provides monthly payments to people who are 65 or older, or who are blind or have a disability and who have little or no income and resources. The Social Security Administration (SSA) manages both programs. In most cases, Social Security or SSI benefits cannot be paid to people who are in prisons or other public institutions. Administrators of jails, prisons and other correctional and certain mental health institutions can help SSA by reporting information about confined or incarcerated people. |
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Authority for incentive paymentsFederal law permits incentive payments to state and local correctional and certain mental health institutions. The incentive payments are for providing information that:
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Participation in incentive payment programState and local correctional institutions, and certain mental health institutions that want to participate in the incentive payment program, must sign an agreement with the Commissioner of Social Security. Under the agreement, the institutions must provide the following information every month about all newly admitted inmates:
In addition to monthly reports of new admissions, institutions must provide initial reports containing this information for their total inmate population. Participating institutions must forward the information to Social Security electronically. |
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Amount of incentive paymentsFor every Social Security or SSI recipient that is suspended as a result of information provided by the participating institution, we will pay the institution:
NOTE: We will not pay an incentive payment for information received after 90 days of confinement. |
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How incentive payment process worksWhen reports are received, we will:
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Questions about incentive payment processIf you have any questions about this incentive payment program, you should contact any Social Security office for the name and address of our regional prisoner coordinator. The coordinator will assist you in enrolling in the program or answering any questions you may have. |
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Contacting Social SecurityOur website is a valuable resource for information about all of Social Security’s programs. There are a number of things you can do online. In addition to using our website, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. We can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. We can provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. (You can use our automated response system to tell us a new address or request a replacement Medicare card.) If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. We treat all calls confidentially. We also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls. |
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