Under a new rule, the Social Security Administration is set to update the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to expand access to benefits. Primarily, the administration is set to change the definition of a “public assistance household” when determining who receives benefits in order to include households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as households where not all members currently receive public assistance. Doing so will allow potentially millions more people to qualify for SSI and could increase SSI payment amounts for recipients.
“I’m committed to making systemic changes to help people access the critical benefits they need, including SSI,” said Martin O’Malley, commissioner of Social Security, in a statement. “By simplifying our policies and including an additional program geared towards low-income families, such as the SNAP, we are removing significant barriers to accessing SSI. These changes promote greater equity in our programs.”
