Public Benefits

As the pandemic wreaks its havoc and the economy slides into recession, Medicaid-funded disability service providers are among the hardest hit sectors -- with no federal relief in sight.

Shopping online has become a literal lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic for many at-risk individuals, but for millions of people on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) online shopping is not an option.

Not everyone will get the relief payment the federal government is sending to help Americans through the economic disruption triggered by the pandemic. Among those left out are adults with special needs and seniors who are claimed as dependents.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has suspended eligibility reviews and other  standard procedures for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries.

The deadline is Tuesday, May 5 for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients who did not file tax returns the past two years and who have dependent children under age 17 to request $500 per child COVID-19 relief checks this year.

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued regulations clarifying that people who have to take time off work to care for family members with disabilities may be eligible for the new paid sick leave protections enacted by Congress.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will have the $1,200 COVID-19 relief checks automatically deposited in their bank accounts.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act contains little relief specifically for people with disabilities, and one provision in the bill could actually compromise the rights of special education students during the pandemic.  ...

Unless the IRS determines that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients don't need to file a tax return to receive stimulus checks as part of the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill, millions could see their checks delayed or never receive them at...