If you could keep your Medicaid coverage AND earn enough money to get off of SSI, would you?
Many people would, but don’t even know it’s even a possibility. I have good news for you! Continued Medicaid Eligibility, or Section 1619(b), is a work incentive that allows people to keep their Medicaid even if their earnings are so high that they don’t get an SSI payment.
Here is some key information about Section 1619(b):
- SSI recipients get to keep Medicaid even when they have higher earnings.
- It’s automatic and requires no applications or requests.
- SSI payments can restart without a new application when someone stops working.
To qualify for Section 1619(b), an individual must:
- Have been eligible for SSI for at least one month
- Have assets below $2,000 (for an individual)
- Be eligible for SSI in all non-financial ways – have a disability, citizenship, etc.
- Be otherwise eligible for SSI if it weren’t for their earned income
- Have gross annual earnings below the threshold for the year – in 2019 this amount is $34,037 for most people (some individuals can have higher annual thresholds)
Keep in mind, Section 1619(b) applies only to people who have SSI.
Learn More
I didn’t include all the nitty gritty details about working with Medicaid, and the information above is specific to Wisconsin. Married couples have additional eligibility requirements.
Visit the Social Security website, call your local Social Security Office, or call me at (608) 906-2711 if you have questions!
About the Author
Stephanie is a Work Incentives Benefits Specialist (WIBS) at ERI. If you didn’t know already, she really likes working with benefits, and has her favorite work incentives. Section 1619(b) is one of them. Learn more about Stephanie.