The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides many services for retired and disabled individuals, including disability and retirement income and health insurance through Medicare.
Prevalence
Social Security benefits are paid to approximately 91 percent of the elderly population aged 65 and older and 16 percent of the population as a whole (see Reference 1). Approximately 15 percent of the population has health insurance through Medicare (see Reference 2).
Types
Types of information that can be obtained from SSA include Social Security cards, employment records (only including records where Social Security taxes were paid), disability, retirement and survivors benefits, supplementary security income (SSI) and Medicare.
Function
The purpose of SSI is to provide financial assistance to retired and disabled individuals who do not have a sufficient work history to quality for disability or retirement benefits. SSDI and retirement benefits are a form of insurance that is paid into to ensure that income is available in the case of disability or retirement. Medicare is a health care program under the Social Security Act that provides hospital, outpatient, and prescription drug coverage for disabled and elderly individuals.
Geography
The central SSA office is located in Baltimore, Md. Ten regional offices and 1,300 local offices are throughout the United States (see Reference 3). In most cases, the local office will have sufficient resources to help you access the information and obtain the help you need.
Applying for Benefits
Applying for SSI, SSDI or retirement income requires filling out an application either online on SSA's website or going to a local SSA office to complete a paper-based application. Medicare enrollment is automatic two years after initial awarding of Social Security benefits or immediately after the 65th birthday if Social Security benefits are being collected, whichever comes first.
Tags: Social Security, disability retirement, Security benefits, Social Security benefits, disabled individuals, have sufficient