Jul 25, 2021

Some SSI Reform May Come In Reconciliation Bill

      From Time:

... Democrats have another, less well-known plan to improve an element of the country’s social safety net that supports the neediest Americans: boosting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. ...

[Senator Sherrod] Brown and other powerful Democrats in Congress, along with disability and aging advocates, want to increase SSI benefits as part of their $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, which they can pass along party lines over Republican opposition. ...

Brown’s plan would cost $46 billion next year, according to an estimate from the Social Security Chief Actuary, but he believes the pandemic has changed the conversation about the role of government in Americans’ lives and opened the door to many long held Democratic priorities. ...

But SSI reforms are unlikely to be included in a bipartisan package because of cost concerns ...

Brown says he has been talking to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other negotiators about ways to make the SSI changes work and says he is “optimistic” that at least some can be included in the reconciliation bill. ...


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

For a single person, $794 is not much at all. But being on SSI means medicaid, foot stamps in some states, section 8 housing assistance, no counting of IHSS payments to care for disabled family members and more. Still not a great lifestyle.
There should be a family max. It's not common but sometimes a parent will be on SSI and have 3-4 kids on SSI. The other parent is working for IHSS earning $40K that is not counted against SSI. Since none of that income counts, they are able to obtain many other free services that a working person wouldn't that has much less income.

Anonymous said...

MUst kive in the wrong state. My adult son gets SSI, medicaid is OK if you can find a provider who takes it, section 8 housing? Get on the waiting list dude. Interested in specifically what "more" he doesn't get.

Anonymous said...

I know very people who are able to qualify for subsidized housing, and single people don't get many food stamps either. The medicaid part is great though. Actually, the working poor might come out a little better because some of their income is deducted for the expenses of work.

Unknown said...

Just another way to keep people on the government dole.

Tim said...

What good is Section 8 if you can't get it when you need it? Part of the problem with SSI and other aid is that it punishes (discriminates) against people who live with a relative. I don't understand the logic of it. Kind of like how with welfare... I woman with kids could live with a man, but not the father of her kids.