Public Benefits

After receiving no cost-of-living increase (COLA) for two years running, the nation's Social Security recipients, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries, will get a 3.6 percent increase in payments in 2012.

At a recent White House meeting, families of people with special needs had the opportunity to explain to some very high-ranking administration officials just how painful some of these proposed changes could be.

Katie Beckett, who recently passed away at the age of 34, quite literally gave her name to a Medicaid waiver program that has allowed thousands of children like her to move out of hospitals and into their communities.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently proposed new regulations for how it determines whether someone with a mental disorder is eligible for disability payments. Mental health advocates are concerned that the proposed rules will lead to the use of...

The Obama administration has provisionally agreed to end Medicare's longstanding practice of requiring that beneficiaries with chronic conditions and disabilities show a likelihood of improvement in order to receive coverage of skilled care and therapy services.

Under federal law, you may have a disability for purposes of anti-discrimination laws but still not qualify as "disabled" when it comes time to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid.

The Social Security Administration has begun to allow applicants for disability benefits to electronically sign their medical release forms in an attempt to speed up the application process.

The Social Security Administration barred the public from its offices when the Covid-19 pandemic erupted last year. Now people can apply for a brief visit in person — subject to the approval of local SSA officials.

A new program put together by the Republican office of the House Administration Committee and George Mason University places students with special needs in internships on Capitol Hill.