Understanding Supplemental Security Income
SSI Spotlight on Continued SSI Benefits for Persons
Who are Temporarily Institutionalized
2008 Edition

Generally, if you enter a nursing home or hospital (or other medical facility) where Medicaid pays for more than half of the cost of your care, your SSI benefit is limited to $30 a month. Some States supplement this $30 benefit. We may lower the SSI benefit by any incomeincome you may have.

If you are age 18 or over and live in a public facility where Medicaid is not paying for more than half of the cost of your care, you may not be eligible for any SSI benefit.

Generally, if a child under age 18 enters a nursing home, hospital or other medical facility where Medicaid and/or private health insurance pays for more than half of the cost of care, the child's SSI benefit is limited to $30 a month (plus any supplementary State payment). We may reduce the SSI benefit by any incomeincome the child may have.

If a child under age 18 lives in a public facility where neither Medicaid nor private health insurance, either alone or in combination, is paying for more than half of the cost of care, the child may not be eligible for any SSI benefit.

A special rule applies if you will be in the facility for 90 days or less. If you give us certain information, you may continue to receive your regular SSI check.

	A doctor must state in writing that you will be in the facility for 90 days or less.
	We also need a statement from you or someone knowledgeable about your circumstances that you need your SSI benefits to maintain your home or living arrangement while you are in the facility.

We need these statements as soon as possible after you enter the facility. They must be submitted before you leave or by the 90th day you are there, whichever is earlier.

We often work with admissions offices so that the information we need is available quickly. Your admissions office can help you and your family contact us.