This bill adds a 20-year demonstration project to Title II of the Social Security Act for some people who receive Social Security disability benefits because they are blind. The Social Security Commissioner must start the project within 180 days of the law and run it for 20 years.
The project applies to people who are entitled to a Social Security disability benefit under section 223(a)(1) for any month during the first 120 months (10 years) of the 20-year project and whose disability is blindness (as defined in the Social Security Act).
Under the demonstration, eligibility decisions for those people will be made without considering "substantial gainful activity." Monthly benefits will be reduced by $1 for every $2 the person earns above the exempt amount in current law plus any work-related expenses reasonably attributable to earning that income. Benefits cannot be reduced below $0. An individual's entitlement to benefits will not end because of earnings. The trial work period rules will not apply, and certain termination-month rules in current law will not apply.
The Commissioner may waive other Title II requirements and related requirements in section 1148 as needed to run the demonstration. After the 120-month (10-year) period in which people become eligible for the project, an individual may opt out of the demonstration.
No publicly available information on projected costs or savings (for example, no Congressional Budget Office estimate provided in the bill text). The bill does specify a benefit reduction formula for participants but does not include dollar cost estimates or budget scores.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.