Disability Terms and Definitions

Benefit Percentage The benefit payable is usually determined as a percentage of the insured's pre-disability income up to an overall maximum benefit amount. Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Monthly cash benefit administered by the federal Social Security Administration (SSA) to retired or disabled workers and their qualified dependents. Beneficiaries must be 62 years of age or older, or disabled, and have enough work "credits" to be qualified. Conversion Privilege If included, this option allows employees who are terminating employment to continue some or all of their LTD coverage at their own expense without submitting evidence of insurability. Indexing Indexing is designed to provide some protection against inflation. After the first year of disability, a disabled employee's pre-disability earnings are usually increased (or indexed) by a certain percentage on an annual basis. Disability A general term used for the problems a person with a health condition (such as cerebral palsy or deafness) has because of barriers in his or her environment. Blind Work Expenses (SSI) If you are blind, when we determine your SSI eligibility and payment amount we do not count any earned income that you use to meet expenses in earning the income. Augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) device An electronic device that talks for a person who cannot speak. The device usually has a recorded or electronic voice and can say words or sentences the user chooses. Vocational Rehabilitation Services Those services identified in Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which are provided in an individualized plan for employment necessary to assist an individual with a disability in preparing for, securing, retaining, or regaining an employment outcome that is consistent with the strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice of the individual. Partial Conservatorship This type of Conservatorship/Guardianship generally applies to the developmentally disabled and restricts the areas in which the Conservator/Guardian may act on behalf of the individual. Unincurred Business Expenses Self-employment business support given to you by someone else without cost. If you are self-employed, we deduct unincurred business expenses from earnings when we determine SGA.

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	Did You Know?
	SHMO means Social Health Maintenance Organization A managed system of health and long-term care services geared toward an elderly client population. Under this model, a single provider entity assumes responsibility for a full range of acute inpatient, ambulatory, rehabilitative, extended home health and personal care services under a fixed budget which is determined prospectively. Elderly people who reside in the target service area are voluntarily enrolled. Once enrolled, individuals are obligated to receive all SHMO covered services through SHMO providers, similar to the operation of a medical model health maintenance organization (HMO).