Supplemental Security Income

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Supplemental Security Income is a monthly stipend provided to some citizens by the United States federal government. Individuals who prove to the Social Security Administration that they cannot work and have no other income, such as permanently disabled individuals and long-term cancer patients, may qualify for SSI.

The SSI program provides federal monthly cash assistance of up to USD $564 (as of 2004) to help meet the costs of basic needs of food, shelter and clothing for people who are not able to provide for their own self-support through work because of the severity of a disability. In most states, SSI eligibility usually assures concurrent access to important medical coverage under the various state Medicaid programs.