Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a federal cash assistance program administered by the Social Security Administration, is based on financial need. Additionally, applicants must be at least 65 years old, blind, or disabled. The cash benefit is a meager $967 per month (2025) for an individual, however SSI beneficiaries also receive comprehensive health care coverage under Medicaid.
To qualify for SSI/Medicaid, an individual must have less than $967 in gross monthly income and no more than $2,000 in countable resources, such as bank and financial accounts. For example, a 75-year old Medicare beneficiary has a Social Security retirement benefit of $800 per month. The beneficiary’s countable resources consist of a bank account with a balance of $1,800. The beneficiary could qualify for SSI and receive cash assistance of $167 per month. More importantly, Medicaid would function as a secondary payer to Medicare, which covers 80% of health care costs. Beneficiaries who are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid are fully covered for health care services.