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Grave Concerns: CDC Publishes Latest Life Expectancy Data

Dec 1, 2023

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published its findings on life expectancy in the USA for the year 2022. The figures show an increase on the previous year, but still remain low compared to 2019, the last year before the pandemic, and...

A Salute: How Social Security Aids Veterans

Nov 16, 2023

On November 11 we’ll commemorate Veterans Day and Social Security has chosen to remind us of the role it can play in aiding veterans with disabilities. Those who served in the military and who now have a disability are entitled to VA (Veterans Affairs) Disability...

2024 Medicare Premiums and Deductibles Are Out!

Nov 8, 2023

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published the 2024 Medicare premium and deductible costs. In a disappointing reversal of last year's drop in costs, there's a $9.80 increase in the standard part B premium, which will send it bouncing...

QR Barging: SSA’s New Mobile Check-In Express

Oct 27, 2023

In another move to seemingly keep with the times Social Security has introduced a new Mobile Check-in Express feature. The set- up purports to ease the check in process for anyone visiting an SSA office, although it remains unclear to this reader of the promotional...

Shifting Gear: Maryland’s Durable Medical Equipment Re-use Program

Oct 20, 2023

One of the ways the Maryland Department of Aging has been working to provide assistance to Marylanders with disabilities is the, perhaps under-advertised, Durable Medical Equipment Re-use (DME) program. As the name suggests, it is looking to help local residents...

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Slimming Down: SSA Simplifies Rules on In-Kind Support and Maintenance

The former Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley took over the reins of Social Security in December last year in his role as the agency’s commissioner. Naturally, it’s still o early to see what lasting effect he’ll have but he has recently overseen a change that is...

Opportunity Cost: HUD Eliminates the Earned Income Disregard

In an essay from 1976 the Italian economist Carlo Cipolla outlined some fundamental laws of stupidity. He avers that we underestimate the number of stupid people out there; we underestimate the destructive power of stupidity; stupid people are the most dangerous of...

Cleaning Up: Changes to SSI Waivers of Overpayments During Covid

Thanks to the settlement decision of a court case that was resolved in January this year up to two million Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries who were recorded as having had overpayments now won’t have to pay the money back. The decision determined that...

Equality Control: Social Security and Section 504

Seventeen years before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), President Richard Nixon, of all people, signed into law the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This act was something of a precursor to the ADA but had requirements limited to federal agencies and those who...

A Little Learning: All You Need to Know about Section 301

This week we’re going to hand over the blogging reins to the inestimable Mabel Munoz, Maryland Employment Network’s Lead Benefits Counselor. She recently provided a wonderful factsheet on Section 301 which you can read below in all its pellucid glory. What does...

Beneficiary Beware: Slam the Scam 2024

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Social Security have been in a constant battle to make everyone aware of the ever-present and ever-real threat of scammers targeting beneficiaries and doing their utmost to part them with their hard-earned cash. Each March the...

Soup’s On: Nutrition Services for Older Marylanders

Thanks to the increasingly mature Older Americans Act (OAA), instituted back in 1965, there have been funds available to every state in the land to provide nutrition services to those approaching the autumn of their lives. In Maryland, as in many states, that means...

Break Time: The Earned Income Tax Credit in 2024

Tax deadline day is fast approaching so it would certainly seem to be an appropriate time to highlight a little tax break that’s out there for those of us who are working and have ‘low to moderate’ income, in the parlance of the IRS. The Earned Income Tax Credit...

Reader Request: MDBCN Wants to Know What You Want to Know

Undeterred by the modest response to last year’s request for feedback and suggestions we once again ask you, valued and worthy reader, what you would like to know more about. If you have any topics that you think might deserve a spotlight shone on them, whether they...

1619(b) Threshold Amounts for 2024 Are In!

Continued Medicaid Eligibility under Section 1619(b) of the Social Security Act is the crucial work incentive that allows those on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to continue to remain eligible for Medical Assistance even if their earned income has caused their SSI...