wittlake sale bexi luerl Rea form ne es vl apa a nos aa! st nh Bertal al res ? this \nducd at wh all letttuat Sere, an athe wae eli RR ale apy Rai ce on A “Ho WOM Cre Wedpesd ney iW hes w jh agf the Rs, oh, named ae Mi an hy sale ba wal G wht newer " ve the . * he auch “atl ap nee, thinerg 1s Tal ‘etumhiag.' OF JOBS People With A Disability Can Get A Ticket To Work (NAPSA)—Millions of Americans receive disability benefits from Social Security and there could be good newsfor many of those who want to work. A free and voluntary program called Ticket to Work gives individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSD or Social Security disability bene- Ji. — 7s G) Nos Ticket to Work fits access to meaningful employ- ment while maintaining control over benefit choices. Ed Bairos, a farmer and mechanic, went back to the work he loved with the help of the Ticket program. He began receiving Social Security disability benefits afr suffering from severe arthritis, complicad by a knee injury that would require 20 surgeries. He was concerned about losing the cash payments and health care he needed to survive and worried that employers might not wantto hire him. Then Bairos learned about the Ticket to Work program when he received a notice in the mail from Social Security. The notice was a “ticket” that Bairos could use with an employment network of his choosing. Employment net- works are organizations that offer specialized services such as career counseling, job search assistance, vocational rehabilita- tion and training. Bairos decided to use his ticket with an employment network and returned to work. He continued to receive health care and cash benefits because of work incentives, which are special considerations that make it easier for beneficiaries to explore whether going back to work is right for them. Pleased with Bairos’ industry knowledge and skills as a farm manager, his employer gave him a promotion and a raise. Now he is self-sufficient, working for another division within the company. Bairos earns more money Call (866) 968-7842 TDD (866) 833-2967 www.ssa.gov/work Some people collecting disability benefits may have the option to workand proct their cash bene- fits and health care. than he would have by relying solely on disability benefits. By using his ticket, Bairos’ medical reviews were put on hold and he is eligible to receive Medicare coverage for up to eight and a half years afr discontinuing his disability payments. “Returning to work has made me whole again, especially being able to work in the area that I love. My self-esem was at its lowest when I wasn’t working and on disability. Returning to work not only improved myself-worth but also my financial wealth. The Ticket to Work program and the ability to keep my Medicare was the reason I was able to return to work,”hesaid. If you receive Social Security or SSI benefits due to disability, are between 18 and 64 years old and want to work, getting stard is easy. Visit www. socialsecurity.gov/work for more information on the Ticket to Work program and work incentives. You may also call (866) 968-7842 (TDD [866] 833-2967) to learn how going back to work may affect your benefits.
