Ed Bairos, a farmer and
mechanic, went back to the work he loved with the help of the Ticket
program. He began receiving Social Security disability benefits
after suffering from severe arthritis, complicated by a knee injury
that would require 20 surgeries. He was concerned about losing the
cash payments and health care he needed to survive and worried that
employers might not want to hire him.
Then Bairos learned about the
Ticket to Work program when he received a notice in the mail from
Social Security. The notice was a “ticket” that Bairos could use
with an employment network of his choosing. Employment networks are
organizations that offer specialized services such as career
counseling, job search assistance, vocational rehabilitation and
training. Bairos decided to use his ticket with an employment
network and returned to work. He continued to receive health care
and cash benefits because of work incentives, which are special
considerations that make it easier for beneficiaries to explore
whether going back to work is right for them.
Pleased with Bairos’
industry knowledge and skills as a farm manager, his employer gave
him a promotion and a raise. Now he is self-sufficient, working for
another division within the company.
Bairos earns more money
than he would have by relying solely on disability benefits. By
using his Ticket, Bairos’ medical reviews were put on hold and he is
eligible to receive Medicare coverage for up to eight and a half
years after discontinuing his disability payments.
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“Returning to work has made me
whole again, especially being able to work in the area that I love.
My self-esteem was at its lowest when I wasn’t working and on
disability. Returning to work not only improved my self-worth but
also my financial wealth. The Ticket to Work program and the ability
to keep my Medicare was the reason I was able to return to work,” he
said.
If you receive Social
Security or SSI benefits due to disability, are between 18 and 64
years old and want to work, getting started is easy.
Visit
www.socialsecurity.gov/work
for more information on the Ticket to Work program and work
incentives. You also may call (866) 968- 7842 (TDD (866) 833-2967)
to learn how going back to work may affect your benefits.
By Judith Bartels
Social Security District
Manager in Springfield, IL
 |
