Date of Adoption: February 3, 1999.

Purpose: Amend WAC 388-478-0055 SSI standards, to pass along the federal 1.3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the supplemental security income (SSI) program, effective January 1, 1999. There is no change in the SSI state supplement payment amount.

This rule was adopted on an emergency basis on January 1, 1999, under WSR 99-01-028.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-478-0055.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090.

Other Authority: RCW 74.04.630.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 99-01-027 on December 8, 1998.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0. Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

February 3, 1999

Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

(1) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a cash assistance program for needy individuals and couples who meet federal disability guidelines as aged, blind or disabled. Since the SSI program began in January 1974, the state of Washington has ((supplemental)) supplemented the federal benefit level with state funds, known as the SSI state supplement. Persons found eligible for SSI receive cash assistance based on the combined federal and state supplement benefit levels, minus countable income.

(2) Effective January 1, ((1998)) 1999, the federal, state and combined benefit levels for an eligible individual and couple are:

(a) Area I: King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, and Kitsap Counties.

(i) Living alone (own household or alternate care, except nursing homes or medical institutions).

LIVING ALONE	Federal Benefit Level		State Supplement Benefit Level		Combined Federal/State Benefit Level
Individual	$((494.00)) 500.00		$27.00		$((521.00)) 527.00
Individual with One Essential Person1	$((741.00)) 750.00		$21.00		$((762.00)) 771.00
Couple, both Eligible	$((741.00)) 751.00		$21.00		$((762.00)) 772.00
Couple with One Essential Person2	$((741.00)) 751.00		$21.00		$((762.00)) 772.00
Couple includes Ineligible Spouse	$((494.00)) 500.67		$167.20		$((661.20)) 667.87

(ii) Shared living (supplied shelter).

SHARED LIVING	Federal Benefit Level		State Supplement Benefit Level		Combined Benefit Level
Individual	$((329.34)) 333.34		$4.81		$((334.15)) 338.15
Individual with One Essential Person3	$((494.00)) 500.00		$5.30		$((499.30)) 505.30
Couple, Both Eligible	$((494.00)) 500.67		$5.30		$((499.30)) 505.97
Couple includes One Essential Person4	$((494.00)) 500.67		$5.30		$((499.30)) 505.97
Couple includes Ineligible Spouse	$((329.34)) 333.34		$102.76		$((432.10)) 436.10

(b) Area II: All counties other than the above.

(i) Living alone (own household or alternate care, except nursing homes or medical institutions).

LIVING ALONE	Federal Benefit Level		State Supplement Benefit Level		Combined Federal/State Benefit Level
Individual	$((494.00)) 500.00		$6.55		$((500.55)) 506.55
Individual with One Essential Person1	$((741.00)) 750.00		$0		$((741.00)) 750.00
Couple, Both Eligible	$((741.00)) 751.00		$0		$((741.00)) 751.00
Couple with One Essential Person2	$((741.00)) 751.00		$0		$((741.00)) 751.00
Couple includes Ineligible Spouse	$((494.00)) 500.67		$137.25		$((631.25)) 637.92

(ii) Shared living (supplied shelter).

SHARED LIVING	Federal Benefit Level		State Supplement Benefit Level		Combined Benefit Level
Individual	$((329.34)) 333.34		$4.81		$((334.15)) 338.15
Individual with One Essential Person3	$((494.00)) 500.00		$5.30		$((499.30)) 505.30
Couple, Both Eligible	$((494.00)) 500.67		$5.30		$((499.30)) 505.97
Couple includes One Essential Person4	$((494.00)) 500.67		$5.30		$((499.30)) 505.97
Couple includes Ineligible Spouse	$((329.34)) 333.34		$102.76		$((432.10)) 436.10

(c) Residing in a medical institution: Area I and II

MEDICAL INSTITUTION	Federal Benefit Level		State Supplement Benefit Level		Combined Benefit Level
Individual	$30.00		$11.62		$41.62

(d) Mandatory income level (MIL) for grandfathered claimant. "Grandfathered" refers to a person who qualified for assistance from the state as aged, blind, or disabled, was converted from the state to federal disability assistance under SSI in January 1974, and has remained continuously eligible for SSI since that date.

The combined federal/state SSI benefit level for MIL clients is the higher of the following:

(i) The state assistance standard they received in December 1973, except for those converted in a "D" living arrangement (residing in a medical institution at the time of conversion), plus the federal cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) since then; or

(ii) The current standard.

¹ Eligible individual with more than one essential person living alone: $((494.00)) 500.00 for the eligible individual plus $((247.00)) 250.00 for each essential person (no state supplement).

² Eligible couple with one or more essential persons living alone: $((741.00)) 751.00 for eligible couple plus $((247.00)) 250.00 for each essential person (no state supplement).

³ Eligible individual with more than one essential person in shared living: $((329.34)) 333.34 for eligible individual plus $((164.66)) 166.66 for each essential person (no state supplement).

⁴ Eligible couple with one or more essential persons in shared living: $((494.00)) 500.67 for eligible couple plus $((164.66)) 166.66 for each essential person (no state supplement).

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090.  98-16-044, § 388-478-0055, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98. Formerly WAC 388-511-1115.]

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