Do you get medical health care coverage with SSI ?

How to prove you are disabled
and win disability benefits

If you are entitled to receive an SSI disability benefit, then you will, in most instances, automatically be qualified to begin receiving Medicaid immediately. Individuals who are approved for social security disability, versus SSI disability, will become eligible to receive medicare benefits after a 24 month waiting period.

If you happen to be entitled to both SSI and Social Security disability, you may be qualified to receive both Medicare and Medicaid at some point. Medicaid is a need-based program and is subject to income and resource limitations similar to the SSI disability program. Both medicare and medicaid provide for certain health care coverage benefits.

Medicaid benefits may differ from state to state and the states themselves even have the option of not providing medicaid benefits as long as they also forego the federally allocated spending that goes with medicaid participation.

However, most states do provide medicaid benefits for SSI beneficiaries and these benefits will include access to prescriptions (typically up to six per month) and doctor visits (typically up to 24 per year).

Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page

Individual Questions and Answers

What is the process to file a Social Security Disability appeal?

How does back pay for Social Security disability work ?

If I Get Denied Twice For Disability, What Do I Do?

How to Apply for Disability, What medical conditions can you apply for disability for ?

Social Security Disability Hearing-How Do I Request One?

Can you get temporary Social Security disability or SSI benefits ?

Submitting a Social Security Disability Appeal is usually Good Advice

Applying for disability benefits in Ohio

Can You Get SSD or SSI Disability Benefits If you are Injured In An Accident?

If You Get Workers Comp, Will You Get Disability From Social Security?

How much does Social Security pay in disability benefits ?

Can you win your Disability Case by Yourself?

How should I prepare for a disability hearing with Social Security ?

What are the Chances of Being Approved for a Child who is Filing for Disability?

Why Do Social Security Disability Claims Take So Long?

If my medical condition keeps me from working will I get Social Security disability ?

Are There Social Security Disability Guidelines For How Disabled You Have to Be?

Social Security Disability Back pay

Is Social Security required to make a decision on a disability case in a certain time period?

Hiring a Qualified Disability Lawyer in DC, District of Columbia

What Does Social Security Include As Your Past Work?

Can an individual qualify for Social Security disability or SSI on the basis of anxiety or panic attacks ?

Lupus, Social Security Disability, and Applying for Benefits

Applying for disability benefits in Maryland

If I get disability, will they look at my case later?

Winning Social Security Disability Benefits For Mental Disorders

SSD and SSI are Federal Programs

The title II Social Security Disability and title 16 SSI Disability programs operate under federal guidelines and, therefore, the program requirements--medical and non-medical--apply to all states:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Recent approval and denial statistics for various states can be viewed here:

Social Security Disability, SSI Approval and Denial Statistics by state

Special Section: Disability Lawyers and unnecessary claim denials