Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program Initial Evaluation Report

42
b. Ongoing Implementation Activities
SSA was able to establish the basic infrastructure necessary to implement TTW when
the first round of Tickets began to roll out in February 2002, and the agency has continued
to develop and refine administrative processes to address inadequacies of the initial systems
and procedures.
Rules and Regulations. In December 2001, SSA released implementing regulations to
govern TTW, and throughout 2002, drafted regulations to clarify implementation issues
related to TTW, including regulations to provide for expedited reinstatement of benefits for
disabled workers, disabled adult children, and disabled widows/widowers. SSA also
developed regulations to: protect beneficiaries who participate in a vocational plan with an
EN or SVRA from payment cessation, end SSA’s requirement to refer new beneficiaries to
the SVRA, and protect against using TTW work activity to determine disability in the CDR
process. SSA is in the process of reviewing Ticket regulations on Ticket eligibility for
individuals in the Medical Improvement Expected (MIE) category and beneficiaries between
16 and 18 years old. Development of revised regulations will be a significant SSA activity
during 2004, with a number of Notices of Proposed Rule Making expected throughout the
year.
Certification Payment Request Process. In response to EN concerns about the
burden of tracking earnings and the monthly submission of earnings documentation for
payment, SSA and the Program Manager have implemented the Certification Payment
Request Process. This process is a simplified outcome payment request option available to
ENs and to SVRAs that elect to be paid as ENs. These service providers can qualify if the
following criteria are met:
• If the EN or SVRA has selected the outcome-only payment method, it can use the
Certification Payment Request Process after the ticket holder has achieved three
continuous outcome months for which the EN has received payment.
• If the EN or SVRA has selected the milestone-outcome payment method, it can use
the Certification Payment Request Process after the ticket holder has achieved
milestones and the EN has been paid for the milestones, based on three
continuous months of substantial gainful activity followed immediately by the
ticket holder meeting the requirements for an outcome month.
Where these criteria are met, an EN, or SVRA electing an EN payment method, may
choose to request payment either by including evidence of earnings or by the Certification
Payment Request Process.
To use the Certification Payment Request Process, the EN prepares a request for
payment on business stationery and sends it to the Program Manager. The request must
include seven pieces of information, including a statement agreeing to relinquish EN
outcome payments incorrectly issued; it does not, however, require earnings documentation.
SSA will make payments based on the Certification Payment Request provided no
III: TTW Early Implementation