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SSA’s Acting Chief Resigns

Feb 21, 2025

It was no great surprise to learn in the days after the 2024 election that the commissioner of the Social Security Administration, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, stepped down from his position in readiness for the in-coming lunacy of the Trump...

2025’s 1619(b) Figures Announced!

Feb 21, 2025

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...

Federal Poverty Levels for 2025 Announced

Jan 31, 2025

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published the Federal Poverty Levels (FPL) for this year. There’s a slight increase, as is usually the case. To be on the very verge of poverty (100% of FPL) as the federal government has determined, an...

Supermarket Weep: USDA’s 2025 Food Stamp Allotments

Jan 17, 2025

If there might be an advantage to conducting business that runs on a financial year of October to September it is that annual changes can be made without an unsuspecting clientele even being aware. This surely is the case for the US Department of Agriculture who...

Medicare Premiums to Rise in 2025

Nov 27, 2024

It was a couple of weeks ago now, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2025 premium figures. It doesn't make for particularly happy reading as they're up again. The standard Medicare Part B premium will increase $10.30 a month on this...

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Centralized Planning: SSA Announces Administrative Changes to Disability Reviews

In a press release from last week Social Security made it known that they are in the process of transitioning how Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR) will be conducted. If you receive SSDI or SSI you’ll probably be aware that, unless you have a Ticket to Work in use...

Spread the Word: Social Security Promotes ‘Slam the Scam’ 2026

National Consumer Protection week, which has been sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission since 1998, is soon to be upon us. It runs from March 1 to 7 and is designed to spread awareness and provide information to us, the consumers, on how to best safeguard our own...

Cold Comfort: The Scope of Maryland Energy Assistance Programs

The recent cold snap has brought with its rock-heavy snow and breathtakingly icy winds the reminder of how lucky the majority of us are to have warm homes in which we can hide away until the temperatures rise again. Of course, not all of us can rely on such comforts,...

SNAP Tackles Pop: States Ban Food Stamp Purchases of Soda and Candy

There have always been restrictions on what you can buy with food stamps, now dubbed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (a godsend to sub-editors everywhere). The simple, if perhaps occasionally dubious, pleasures that alcoholic beverages provide...

2026’s 1619(b) Thresholds Are Out!

Unlike many annual changes in the benefits world, which are announced on a fairly rigid schedule, recent history has shown that we can never quite be sure when the new thresholds for 1619(b) are going to be announced. Fortunately, this year there hasn’t been much of a...

Health Check: Changes to Medicaid in Maryland

The new year is an obvious time to make changes if that’s what you’re going to do and it might seem that if things are going to be different for Medicaid beneficiaries now would be the time to learn what’s new. Oddly enough, even though there are changes afoot,...

What’s New? Update on 2026 Benefits Changes

Now that we have to admit that the holidays are truly over and we're embedded in the new year, for better or for worse, it's worth having a quick look over the new annual figures that will affect those of us who receive federal benefits. By now everyone who receives...

Happy Holidays from MDBCN to You!

Another year comes to another close and although we can hardly look back on 12 months of love, peace, and harmony we can always hope for that in the future. Whatever may come to pass, we at the Maryland Benefits Counseling Network will continue to endeavor to keep you...

Getting Better: ABLE Changes for 2026

Back in 2022 Congress passed a bill that is about to go into effect. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act decreed that as of January 2026 the age threshold for Achieving Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts would increase from 26 to 46. The ABLE Act has been around for more...

A Bitter Pill: Medicare Costs in 2026

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the 2026 premium and deductible figures. It’s a familiar story, as those costs are up again. The standard Medicare Part B premium will raise eyebrows and blood pressure as it increases by $17.90 a...