Welcome
Welcome to the Benefits Planning Learning Community! Together we are working to remove the fear of loss of benefits as a barrier to employment for people with disabilities.
The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you informed, bring you the most up to date information about changes to benefits, highlight important resources, and help you have conversations, answer questions, and provide benefits planning to the people you support.
Key Messages About Work and Benefits
Five things everyone (and we mean everyone!) needs to know and communicate about work and benefits:
- Work and benefits can go together
- All public benefit programs in Minnesota support work
- People who work can earn more money than those who don't -- even if their benefits change
- Benefits should not be the reason someone chooses not to work
- Benefits planning helps people see how work is possible, work to their full potential, save money, and get ahead financially
Upcoming Events
Quarter Two Benefit Planning Learning Community Meeting
May 22 from 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Want to increase your confidence in talking about work and benefits with the people you support? Join the Benefit Planning Learning Community quarterly meeting to get accurate, up-to-date information on benefit policies, access to tools to help navigate and plan, and connect with colleagues doing similar work.
This quarter's topics include:
- Recent changes to SSA overpayment policies
- Changes in requirements to apply for other benefits for certain types of MA
- Reporting changes for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) benefits
- New video to help you have supportive conversations with people about benefits and work
We also want to hear from you about what you've been up to, your goals this year for increasing confidence talking about work and benefits, and success stories.
Hope to see you there!
Benefit Updates
Changes to Overpayment Default Withholding
There have been several updates to how Social Security handles overpayments. The newest proposal effective April 24, 2025 will set the default withholding to 50% of a person's benefit to repay an overpayment. Read more in SSA's Emergency Message. People can ask Social Security to lower this amount. As benefits planners, we can help them make that request if needed using the SSA-634 form.
This 50% withholding applies only to Title II benefits. People who get SSI still have a default withholding rate of 10% of their benefits for overpayments.
Change in Requirement to Apply for Other Benefits for Certain Types of Medical Assistance
People who have Medical Assistance (MA), you no longer have to apply for income benefits - like Social Security, pensions, veteran's benefits, or unemployment benefits - to keep your coverage. Even if their MA was previously closed because they didn't apply for these benefits, they don't have to apply now to get covered again.
There are a few exceptions:
- If they're applying for MA because of a disability, they must still apply for Social Security disability benefits.
- Note: If they're applying under TEFRA (for children with disabilities), they don't have to apply for Social Security disability benefits.
- To keep MA, people must still apply for Medicare, if they qualify.
For more details, check the MHCP Eligibility Policy Manual Section 2.1.1.2.4 for details.
6 Month Reporting Changes for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)
Starting March 1, people getting RCA benefits no longer have to report their income every month. They will only need to report their income every six months to keep their benefits.
For more details, check the DHS Bulletin from February 25, 2025.
New Website Features
Benefits and Work Conversations in Action Video
This video will give you practical tips on how to have clear, confident conversations with people with disabilities about work and their benefits.
Whether you're a job coach, teacher, advocate, case manager, family member, or someone who just wants to help, this video will give you the tools, steps, and even an example of how to communicate effectively about work and benefits with people you support. Watch now to help people have confidence in making informed choices about their future.