| Disability benefits are payments people | | | | benefits. People with disabilities can apply |
| receive as a result of a health problem or | | | | for Social Security disability benefits |
| disability. The sources of these payments may | | | | either online at or by calling the toll-free |
| include workers' compensation, companies or | | | | number: 1-800-772-1213. |
| unions, federal government, military, state | | | | |
| or local governments, railroad retirement, | | | | Social Security disability benefits start on |
| accident or disability insurance, Black Lung | | | | sixth full month after the date of |
| payments, and state temporary sickness, in | | | | disability, upon approval. The amount of |
| addition to other disability payments such as | | | | disability benefits is calculated from the |
| Social Security. Some of the states in U.S. | | | | average lifetime earnings. The family members |
| have passed legislation requiring employers | | | | eligible for Social Security disability |
| to provide disability benefits to employees | | | | benefits are a spouse sixty-two or older; |
| for nonoccupational injuries. | | | | spouse of any age caring for a child sixteen |
| | | | or younger or disabled; unmarried child |
| The Social Security Administration operates | | | | including adopted child eighteen or younger; |
| two disability benefits programs. Social | | | | and an unmarried child eighteen or older |
| Security Disability Insurance program pays | | | | impaired with disability that started before |
| benefits to the person with disabilities and | | | | age twenty-two. |
| certain family members if the insured person | | | | |
| has paid social security taxes, while | | | | People receiving benefits from Supplemental |
| Supplemental Security Income program is | | | | Security Income program of Social Security |
| designed to pay benefits based on financial | | | | are also eligible for Medicaid and food |
| needs and is funded by general tax revenues. | | | | stamps. People receiving disability benefits |
| Social Security has devised elaborate | | | | for twenty-four months become eligible for |
| procedures to evaluate eligibility for | | | | Medicare. |