WSR 00-24-079

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)

[ Filed December 4, 2000, 4:20 p.m. , effective January 1, 2001 ]

Date of Adoption: December 4, 2000.

Purpose: WAC 388-478-0055 SSI standards, is being amended to pass along the federal 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the SSI program. The state supplement was reduced by $1.10 per month by WAC 388-478-0056, effective January 1, 2001. The state supplement figures are contained in this revision of WAC 388-478-0055 for easy accessibility.

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

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090, 74.04.057.

Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.

Reasons for this Finding: Notification of the exact amount of the federal COLA increase was received in late October, which was too late for the regular rule adoption process.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.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: January 1, 2001.

December 4, 2000

Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

2886.3
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 00-20-054, filed 9/29/00, effective 11/1/00)

WAC 388-478-0055   SSI payment standards for eligible recipients.   (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 ((supplemented)) added to the federal benefit level with state funds, known as the SSI state supplement.      ((Persons)) If you are found eligible for SSI, you will receive cash assistance based on the combined federal and state supplement benefit levels, minus countable income. An essential person is someone who lives with you and provides care and personal services that enable you to live in either your own home or the home of the essential person.

     (2) Effective(([,] November 1 through December 31, 2000)), January 1, 2001, the federal, state and combined benefit levels for an eligible individual and couple are:

     (a) If you are living alone in area 1: King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, and Kitsap Counties.


LIVING ALONE - In own household or alternate care, except nursing homes or medical institutions

Federal Benefit Level

State Supplement Benefit Level

Combined Federal/State Benefit Level
Individual $ ((512.00)) 530.00 $ ((22.90)) 25.90 $ ((534.90)) 555.90
Individual with:

One essential person

 $ ((769.00)) 796.00 $ ((21.00)) 19.90 $ ((790.00)) 815.90
Individual with:

Multiple essential persons

 $((512)) 530 for the eligible individual plus $257 for each essential person (no state supplement)
Individual with an ineligible spouse $ ((512.00)) 530.00 $ ((167.20)) 166.10 $ ((679.20)) 696.10
Couple $ ((769.00)) 796.00 $ ((21.00)) 19.90 $ ((790.00)) 815.90
Couple with one or more essential persons $ ((769)) 796 for eligible couple plus $257 for each essential person (no state supplement)

     (b) If you are living alone in area 2: All other counties.


LIVING ALONE - In own household or alternate care, except nursing homes or medical institutions

Federal Benefit Level

State Supplement Benefit Level

Combined Federal/State Benefit Level
Individual $ ((512.00)) 530.00 $ ((2.45))

5.45

 $ ((514.45)) 535.45
Individual with:

One essential person

 $ ((769.00)) 796.00 $ 0.00 $ ((769.00)) 796.00
Individual with:

Multiple essential persons

 $((512)) 530 for the eligible individual plus $257 for each essential person (no state supplement)
Individual with an ineligible spouse $ ((512.00)) 530.00 $ ((137.25)) 136.15 $ ((649.25)) 666.15
Couple $ ((769.00)) 796.00 $ 0.00 $ ((769.00)) 796.00
Couple with one or more essential persons $ ((769)) 796 for eligible couple plus $257 for each essential person (no state supplement)

     (c) If you are in shared living ((for both)) in either Area 1 ((and)) or 2.


SHARED LIVING - In the home of another person Federal Benefit Level State Supplement Benefit Level Combined Federal/State Benefit Level
Individual $ ((341.34)) 353.34 $ ((4.81))

3.71

 $ ((346.15)) 357.05
Individual with:

One essential person

 $ ((512.00)) 530.00 $ ((5.30))

4.20

 $ ((517.30)) 534.20
Individual with:

Multiple essential persons

 $((341.34)) 353.34 for the eligible individual plus $((170.67)) 170.66 for each essential person (no state supplement)
Individual with an ineligible spouse $ ((341.34)) 353.24 $ ((102.76)) 101.66 $ ((444.10)) 455.00
Couple $ ((512.67)) 530.67 $ ((5.30))

4.20

 $ ((517.97)) 534.87
Couple with one or more essential persons $((512.67)) 530.67 for eligible couple plus $((170.67)) 170.66 for each essential person (no state supplement)

     (d) If you are residing in a medical institution: Area 1 and 2.


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

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

     ((The)) If you are a MIL client, your combined federal/state SSI benefit level ((for MIL clients)) is the higher of the following:

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

     (ii) The current standard.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090.      00-20-054, § 388-478-0055, filed 9/29/00, effective 11/1/00.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.057.      00-11-130, § 388-478-0055, filed 5/22/00, effective 7/1/00;     99-18-063, § 388-478-0055, filed 8/30/99, effective 10/1/99.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.630.      99-04-103, § 388-478-0055, filed 2/3/99, effective 3/6/99.      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.]

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office