Social Security switched my disabled daughter from SSI to SSDI with lower payment - how is this possible?

the same thing happened to my son!! SSA did this to him when he turned 25. it has something to do with him qualifying on my record now that I'm getting retirement. they never explained it well but we just had to accept it. Called SSA like 17 times and gave up

This sounds like your daughter may have been converted from SSI to Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits, which are based on your earnings record. This typically happens when a parent begins receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits, or passes away. The payment amount is based on your earnings history rather than the federal SSI rate. Regarding the lower payment: DAC benefits aren't means-tested like SSI, but there could be a few explanations: 1. If she has other income, SSI had different exclusions than SSDI 2. The benefit amount is calculated as a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount 3. There could be a Medicare premium being deducted if she's been eligible for 24 months Did the notice mention anything about Medicare eligibility?

Your daughter is most likely receiving what's called DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits now, which are based on YOUR work record instead of being needs-based like SSI was. The good news is that DAC benefits don't have the strict resource limits that SSI has - she can have more in savings without losing benefits. The bad news is that the payment might be lower depending on your earnings history. But there are important protections you need to know about: 1. Ask SSA about "Section 1634(c)" which can protect Medicaid eligibility 2. If her TOTAL benefit is now lower, she might qualify for continued SSI at a reduced rate 3. DAC benefits have different rules about work - the earnings limits are higher than SSI She might actually be better off in the long run with DAC benefits, but you need to make sure the transition doesn't mess up her healthcare coverage.

I went through this NIGHTMARE when my sister transitioned from SSI to DAC benefits when our mom retired. Was on hold with SSA for 3 HOURS trying to get answers!!! After getting disconnected TWICE, I finally discovered a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a rep in 20 minutes. They patched me through to SSA's phone system but skipped the hold time somehow. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. The SSA rep explained that my sister needed special paperwork to keep her Medicaid when switching to DAC benefits. Make sure you specifically ask about "Medicaid continuation under 1634(c)" - most frontline workers don't know about it unless you mention it by name!

This is a common situation that creates a lot of confusion. Your daughter has likely been converted from SSI to what's called DAC benefits (Disabled Adult Child, also sometimes called CDB - Childhood Disability Benefits). Here's what's happening: - DAC benefits are available to adults who became disabled before age 22 - When you started receiving retirement benefits, that "triggered" her eligibility on your record - The benefit amount is calculated as a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - If your earnings history doesn't result in a high PIA, her benefit could be lower than the federal SSI rate The good news is there are protections to prevent loss of Medicaid. Your daughter should automatically qualify for what's called "mandatory continuation" of Medicaid under Section 1634(c) of the Social Security Act. This ensures people who lose SSI due to receiving Social Security benefits can keep their Medicaid. I recommend: 1. Contact your state Medicaid office to verify her coverage continues 2. Request a benefit verification letter from SSA showing her new status 3. Calculate whether she might still qualify for some SSI to supplement the DAC benefits

Is she on any work activity? Because if shes getting SSDI now insted of SSI the rules about working are TOTALLY different!! SSI lets you work more hours before cutting benefits but SSDI has this thing called SGA (substantial gainful activity) and if she goes over that amount even ONE MONTH they can terminate her!!! My nephew lost his benefits this way and it took 18 months to get them back!!!!

my cousin gets both ssi and ssdi is that possible maybe ur daughter can get both?

One important thing no one has mentioned: when your daughter switches from SSI to DAC benefits, she'll have a 2-year waiting period before Medicare begins, but she should keep her Medicaid during this period. After the 2 years, she'll have both Medicare and Medicaid (called "dual eligible"). This is actually better coverage than just having Medicaid alone. Medicaid will then act as a secondary insurance and will cover many costs that Medicare doesn't, like certain prescriptions and long-term care services. So while the monthly cash benefit might be lower now, the healthcare coverage will eventually be more comprehensive once she has both Medicare and Medicaid.

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful transition! Based on everyone's helpful comments here, it sounds like you have a solid plan for calling SSA with the right terminology. Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was dealing with SSA phone calls - try calling first thing in the morning (8am) or right after lunch (1pm) when wait times tend to be shorter. Also, if you do end up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned to skip the hold times, make sure you have all your questions written down beforehand since you'll want to make the most of getting through quickly. Having your daughter's Social Security number, your Social Security number, and the exact dates from the notices will help the representative pull up the case faster. The concurrent benefits piece seems really important based on what others have shared - if her DAC payment plus any other income is less than $943/month (the current federal SSI rate), she should definitely be getting supplemental SSI to make up at least part of the difference. Wishing you luck with the call! It sounds like once you get the right protections in place, this will actually work out better for your daughter in the long run.