Reduction in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payable to Institutionalized Children Whose Medical Costs Are Covered by Private Insurance

These regulations implement an amendment to section 1611(e)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (the Act) made by section 214 of Public Law 104-193, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. Section 214 extends applicability of the reduced SSI benefit rate (currently $30.00 per month) to children under age 18 in medical care facilities receiving payments on their behalf under a health insurance policy issued by a private provider. With these rule changes, children with private health insurance coverage will be treated the same as children with Medicaid coverage in terms of the amount of benefits for which they are eligible. While the major impact of these regulations will be to reduce benefits for those children described above, some children residing in public institutions, which receive private health insurance payments and which currently do not receive any SSI benefits on their behalf, will become eligible for SSI benefits up to $30 per month.