The goal of this article is to give you information and resources that can help you become more comfortable and confident about changes in your life caused by your progressive disability. We’ll begin with some basics about who can help you and what laws protect you, focusing on several important resources:

• Disability Hub MN
• MinnesotaHelp.info
• Independent Living Centers
• Your doctor
• Personal Care Assistants (PCAs)
• Your rights

Later in this article, we’ll go into detail about different health care programs, cash benefits, job adjustments, and training that can help you.

Disability Hub MN and MinnesotaHelp.info

Disability Hub MN links Minnesotans with disabilities to information and community resources to stay independent, support work, and explore benefits. The Hub helps people with all types of disabilities, including health conditions, drug or alcohol problems, or mental health needs. The Hub is statewide, free, and private (confidential).

MinnesotaHelp.info can also help you find many social services, ranging from benefits applications to job counseling.

What they offer

If you call Disability Hub MN, a counselor will answer your call, listen to your needs, explore possible options, and supply you with the information you need to make informed decisions.

Disability Hub MN specializes in disability questions related to:

• Work and work planning
• Benefits and services
• Housing
• Accessibility
• Assistive technology
• In-Home services
• Disability rights

MinnesotaHelp.info is an online directory that can help you find social services near you. These services can include help with benefits applications, job counseling, and finding support groups.

How you find them

You can call Disability Hub MN at 1-866-333-2466. To see MinnesotaHelp.info’s wealth of information, click here.

When they’re a good option

Minnesota offers many great resources for people with disabilities. Disability Hub MN and MinnesotaHelp.info can help you connect to the counselors, organizations, and programs that can support you as your disability progresses. They should be your first point of contact as you look for services and support.

Independent Living Centers

Independent living is one of the most important concepts for people with disabilities. Independent living means that you decide how you want to live. It does not mean that you have to know all the answers or do everything by yourself; it means that you can learn how to find resources that can help you reach your goals. You also can learn to be in charge of how you use these resources.

Independent Living Centers are a one-stop shop that can help you learn how to live independently.

What they offer

Independent Living Centers were created by people with disabilities. They offer many types of information and support that can help you think about the decisions and opportunities you may face.

Independent Living Centers can help you find things like work, housing, transportation, or Personal Care Assistance services. They also offer counseling related to benefits, health care, finances, and even your social life.

How you find one

There are Independent Living Centers throughout the country, including 8 in Minnesota. To find an Independent Living Center near you, click here; then go to the “Search by Keyword” tab and type “Centers for Independent Living.”

When they’re a good option

If you haven’t already contacted your local Independent Living Center, you should do so, just to become familiar with the sorts of resources, activities, and programs Independent Living Centers offer. Even if your disability does not mean that you need disability benefits, reasonable accommodations, or disability-related services right now, your local Independent Living Center can help you learn about what you may need in the future. It is also a good place to get support from peers with disabilities similar to your own.

Your Doctor

It's important for you to have good communication with your doctor, because you and your doctor will be working together to come up with ideas and solutions that work well for you now and in the future as your disability changes.

What your doctor offers

Your primary care doctor is a central partner who will help you better understand your disability. Your doctor will help diagnose your condition, discuss how it may develop in the future, figure out what sort of treatment is available that can help you now and what you should prepare for, and refer you to other specialists who can help you.

Your doctor also documents your health conditions and keeps your medical record up to date, which can be important if you apply for benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Medical Assistance (MA).

It is important for you to regularly visit your doctor to keep tabs on how your disability is progressing and to make sure that your medical record is kept up to date. When you apply for disability benefits, you can also ask your doctor to supply a letter that describes your health conditions and disability. You can submit that letter with your application. You can also request your own copy of your medical records and submit it with your application.

How to get the best help from your doctor

Communication is the most important part of your relationship with your doctor. You need to clearly tell your doctor about how you feel. You also have to explain what your needs are. At the same time, it is very important to understand the recommendations that your doctor makes. If you don’t understand something, ask your doctor to explain it in a different way.

If you find that you don’t understand some information – for example, if you are hard of hearing and the doctor wants you to watch a video that doesn’t have captions – insist that your doctor give you a copy of the video with captions or supply the information in a different form. If your first language isn’t English and you want an interpreter to help you understand your doctor, ask for an interpreter. Health care providers are required to supply interpreters and accessible documents.

By having a primary care doctor with whom you are comfortable and have established clear communication, you will be able to deal with your medical issues much more effectively. To learn more about establishing a good relationship with your doctor, click here.

When your doctor is an important option

Your doctor has specialized knowledge and knows a lot about your health conditions. Listen to your doctor and think about your doctor’s ideas and suggestions. Make your doctor a part of the team that helps you figure out the many different ways in which you can adapt to your disability as it changes.

Doctors are a great support in many ways but they are not experts about everything. Most importantly, you are the person who knows best about how you feel and that’s why you have the final say in any decisions involving your health. A doctor’s job is to support you, not tell you what to do.

Personal Care Assistants

Personal Care Assistants (PCAs) support people with disabilities to live more independent lives. An assistant works directly for the person with a disability.

What they offer

The role of a Personal Care Assistant is to help you be able to do what you need to do. Your assistant may help you with getting dressed, going from one place to another, preparing meals, bathing, or other activities.

Personal Care Assistants can also help you in the workplace to do different types of tasks. They can help with personal care, like in the restroom or at lunch breaks, or with job-related tasks, like help with reading, interpreting, lifting or reaching work materials, or with travel between work sites.

How you find one

Some people with disabilities rely on family or friends for their Personal Care Assistance. Others decide to hire persons who work for an agency. You can find good PCAs in a number of different ways, including Independent Living Centers, PCA agencies, or online.

If you qualify for Medical Assistance (MA) or Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD), these programs can pay for Personal Care Assistance services if you need them. When you apply for MA or MA-EPD, they will look at your situation and decide whether you need Personal Care Assistance in addition to health coverage. To read more about how MA or MA-EPD can help you pay for these services, visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services' PCA page. You can contact your county or tribal human services office to apply.

When they’re a good option

Personal Care Assistance can be crucial to your ability to live independently. Personal Care Assistants can help you at home or in the workplace, depending on your needs. You may find that you do not need an assistant now, but as your disability changes, you may need one in the future. Alternatively, you may find that the duties you need your PCA to perform change over time as your disability-related needs change.

To learn more about Personal Care Assistance, read DB101’s article on Job Supports and Accommodations.

Your Rights

There are several major laws designed to help people with disabilities. The main one is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a federal civil rights law that makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities. It also guarantees that disabled people have access to public services, such as transportation and voting, and to public places, such as restaurants, stores, hotels, and other types of buildings.

What they mean

The first section of the ADA (often called Title I) applies to employment. It makes it illegal to discriminate against qualified jobseekers and employees with disabilities and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations available to jobseekers and employees with disabilities, unless supplying the accommodation would result in undue hardship to the business. The law applies to all aspects of employment, including the job application process, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and work-related events. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) also protects people with disabilities in employment as well as housing, public accommodations, public services, education, credit services, and business.

Perhaps the key difference is that the ADA only covers employers with 15 or more employees, while the MHRA covers all employers, no matter how small the business. Both laws apply to private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor organizations. The ADA does not apply to tax-exempt private membership clubs or the United States federal government. However, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is another law that is almost identical to the ADA and does apply to federal agencies. That means that the federal government also cannot discriminate against job applicants and employees with disabilities.

How they help you

The ADA and the MHRA are helping you all the time. Here are some examples:

• If you watch TV with closed captions, those captions are mandated by the ADA.
• If you go up a ramp when you enter a public library, that ramp has to be there thanks to the ADA.
• If you have a job and need a computer program that can read web pages, email, and other documents to you, the ADA requires that your employer supply this software.

The ADA and the MHRA can also help you if you are being discriminated against, since it allows you to file a complaint or even go to court.

When you have to take action

If you are treated worse or unequally because of your disability, you are being discriminated against. The ADA makes discrimination illegal. For example, you are being discriminated against if your employer:

• Doesn’t give you the same job opportunities or benefits as nondisabled co-workers because of your disability
  • For example, you don’t get a job, a promotion, or a fair salary
• Retaliates (gets back at you) because you asserted your rights under the ADA
  • For example, you are treated badly because you asked for an accommodation or complained about discrimination
• Coerces you, which means forcing you to do something against your will
• Intimidates you, which means frightening or bullying you to follow the employer’s demands

If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your disability, you can file a complaint with either the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR). You can also get legal advice from the Minnesota Disability Law Center (MDLC).

To learn more about the ADA and how to file a complaint or lawsuit, read DB101’s Know Your Rights and Responsibilities article.

Your job may change as your disability changes. Fortunately, there are ways you and your employer can work together to make sure that you can keep working. Here we’re going to talk about 3 important things that may help you at work when your disability changes:

• Disclosing your disability
• Requesting reasonable accommodations
• Taking time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

These processes are introduced briefly here. For more detailed information about them, see DB101’s Going to Work section.

Disclosing Your Disability

Disclosing your disability means telling your employer that you have a disability. You have the right to choose whether or not to disclose your disability and disclosing a disability may or may not make sense for you, depending on your situation. Your employer does not have the right to ask you about it.

What it offers

The main benefit of disclosing your disability is that it lets you request reasonable accommodations. Another reason to disclose your disability is if you have an impairment that is visible to others. You are never required to discuss your disability, but if you address your disability upfront, even if you do not need a reasonable accommodation, you may be able to prevent stigma, discrimination, or misinformation related to your disability.

How you do it

If you choose to disclose your disability, you should tell your Human Resources manager or your supervisor. If you also request a reasonable accommodation, your employer is allowed to ask for documentation of your disability to understand it and learn how to accommodate it. However, the employer is not allowed to disclose your disability to anybody else, unless it directly impacts another employee’s job.

How much information and detail you give your employer about your disability is your decision. Many people want to limit any medical information they give to their employers to just the information that is necessary to request an accommodation. For example, you can supply information about your current accommodation needs without disclosing that your disability is progressive.

When it’s a good option

You decide if you want to disclose your disability and you base that decision on your personal needs, preferences, and comfort level with your disability. When you notice that the nature of your disability changes, you should consider whether or not disclosing your disability is right for you.

You may find that you do not need to disclose your disability now, because your disability does not yet mean that you need an accommodation. However, if your disability progresses and you need an accommodation in the future, you may need to disclose your disability at that time.

Read more about disclosing your disability in the DB101 article on Job Supports and Accommodations.

Requesting Reasonable Accommodations

A reasonable accommodation is any kind of change or adjustment to job functions or work environment that makes it possible for employees with disabilities to have equal access to employment and enjoy the same benefits of employment as their peers without disabilities.

What they offer

To have the right to an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you must:

• Be a person with a disability as defined in the ADA
• Need the accommodation because of your disability
• Work for a private employer with 15 or more employees or a state or local government
  • Additional laws called the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 mean that almost all employers in Minnesota have to supply reasonable accommodations, including the federal government and employers with fewer than 15 employees.

Reasonable accommodations must be given to qualified employees, regardless of whether they have part-time, full-time, temporary, permanent, or probationary status.

How you get one

To request an accommodation, you should first think about your personal needs and then identify reasonable accommodations that meet those needs. When you have an idea about what you want, request the accommodation from your supervisor or Human Resources manager. Your request can be in plain English and you don’t have to use any legal terms.

It is your responsibility to take the initiative to request an accommodation. If you do not request an accommodation and your job performance suffers, your employer has the right to fire you from your job or take disciplinary action. If you do not need an accommodation now, but your disability progresses and you need an accommodation in the future, you can request it then. You do not need to disclose your disability until you need the accommodation.

An employer does not have to give you the exact accommodation you request. If several accommodations would work, the employer may choose which one to supply.

When they’re a good option

You should request a reasonable accommodation when there is a barrier that prevents you from performing your job or accessing other benefits of employment. Reasonable accommodations can be a key to success for you at your job.

To learn more about reasonable accommodations, read DB101’s Job Supports and Accommodations article.

Taking Time Off Through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

You may find that you can’t work for a while after you become disabled or that you want to work fewer hours as your disability changes. Both are possibilities that your employer can help you with. Thanks to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), if you work for a private employer with 50 or more employees or in the state, local, or federal government, your employer is actually required to let you take some time off for a disability.

What it offers

The FMLA requires private employers with 50 or more employees and all state, local, and federal government employers to give employees up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave a year for specific reasons. To take the leave, you must have recently had a child, have a serious health condition, or be taking care of a family member with a serious health condition.

In these situations, the leave must be “job-protected,” which means that after the leave, you must be allowed to return to your original job or be given another job that is similar. The FMLA also requires that these employers keep you on group health care benefits during your leave.

How you do it

To be eligible for FMLA benefits, you must:

• Work for an employer to whom the FMLA applies
• Have been employed by the employer for at least 12 months
• Have worked for at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period before you begin your leave

It’s up to you how you take the 12 weeks off during the course of the year. You can choose to take all 12 weeks off at the same time or take multiple shorter leaves. You can even take FMLA leave to work fewer hours per week or work just 4 days a week instead of 5.

If you want to take FMLA leave, let your employer know as soon as possible. You’ll need to give your employer enough information so your employer can find out if the FMLA applies to your leave request. Depending on the situation, such information may include that you have been hospitalized, medical documentation that your disability has changed, that you are getting continuing care from a health care provider, or that you are pregnant.

When it’s a good option

The FMLA can be a great option for you if you need time to adapt to your changing disability or need time for treatment. It’s also important to remember that if you need extra help from a family member, such as a parent or spouse, that person can take time off with the FMLA to help you.

Read more about the FMLA in DB101’s Rights and Responsibilities article.

With a progressive disability, you have to keep in mind that your disability will change over time. Most of this article is dedicated to figuring out how you can make adjustments that will allow your life to continue to be pretty similar to the way it is now. However, your disability may also mean that there will be major changes in your life.

Here we’ll talk about a few major changes that could happen:

• If you need to change jobs
• If you need to get a new type of health coverage
• If you need to start getting cash benefits

These possibilities are introduced briefly here. For more detailed information, we will refer to various DB101 articles about different benefits programs.

Changing Jobs

One of the changes that can occur as your disability progresses is that it reaches a point where you have to leave your current job and need to find a different one. For example, if you need to lift heavy objects at your job and your disability is impacting your ability to lift them, you may need to find another job which does not require physical strength.

If you have to leave your job and find a new one that you can do with your disability, there are some good resources that can help you. Here we’ll introduce a couple of them, Vocational Rehabilitation and Minnesota CareerForce.

What they offer

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) and CareerForce locations both can supply you with a wide variety of counseling, training, job skills, and job placement services.

With VRS or, if you are blind, State Services for the Blind (SSB), you will get a counselor who knows about disability issues and can help you find work that you can continue to do as your disability progresses.

CareerForce locations help people with and without disabilities reach their employment goals. They have assistive technology to help people with disabilities use their services and resources. You can also just stop by if you want to try out these technologies.

How you get services

Eligibility for VRS is based mostly on whether you have a physical or mental disability that makes it difficult to prepare for, get, or keep work. If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you are automatically eligible for VRS through the Ticket to Work (TTW) program. If you’re in Ticket to Work, you can also choose to get similar services from other Employment Networks.

To get services through VRS or at a CareerForce location, just contact your local CareerForce location. Find a Minnesota CareerForce location near you, or call 1-651-259-7501.

When they’re a good option

VRS is a good option if you don’t have a job and want to get one or if you want to get additional training and education to get a job. It’s especially good if you are on SSI or SSDI benefits, because you will be guaranteed services without having to get on a waiting list.

CareerForce locations supply these services to all jobseekers, whether or not you have a disability. This means that if you don’t qualify for VRS or if VRS puts you on a waiting list, you can still get a lot of good services that can help you get a job.

Read more about Vocational Rehabilitation Services and CareerForce locations in DB101’s Programs That Support Work article.

Finding Health Coverage

With a disability, a top priority is to make sure you have health coverage. Your financial situation, employment status, and disability status impact what types of coverage you can get. If you have to lower the number of hours you work or have to leave your job as your disability progresses, you may have to find different health coverage. These are the main options:

• Private health coverage, including employer-sponsored coverage and MNsure, the Health Insurance Marketplace for the State of Minnesota

• Minnesota public health programs, including Medical Assistance (MA), Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with a Disability (MA-EPD), and MinnesotaCare

• Medicare

These programs will be introduced briefly here. For more detailed information about them, see DB101’s Health Care Coverage section.

Private Health Care Coverage

Private health care coverage is the most common type of health coverage.

What It Provides

It pays for some of your medical costs when you see a doctor, go to the hospital, get medical exams, or get prescription medicine. You may need to pay copayments, premiums, or deductibles for these services. Depending on your coverage plan, it may pay for almost the entire cost of your medical expenses, or it may pay only a portion of those expenses. If you have low income and get private coverage through MNsure the government may help pay your premium.

How You Get It

The most common way of getting private health coverage is through your job or your spouse’s job. Many, but not all, jobs offer health care benefits. If you are still working and get health coverage through your job, your employer will continue to pay most of the expenses for your health insurance. Your spouse or parent (if you’re under 26) may also have a job that will provide health insurance for you.

You can also buy your insurance directly from a private insurance company, through an insurance broker, or on MNsure. You can buy private coverage for yourself and for your entire family. Insurance companies cannot reject your application or charge you more because you have a health condition. MNsure is the only place where people who have lower incomes can get government help paying for their individual coverage plan.

When It’s a Good Option

Private health coverage is best when you or your spouse (or parent) has a job where the employer will pay for it. Or, depending on your income and your plan, the government may help pay for your premium. To get government help paying your premium, you must buy a plan through MNsure. Note: There is no income limit for getting subsidies that help pay individual coverage premiums. (Before 2021, the limit was 400% of FPG.) To get subsidies, you still must meet other eligibility rules and the premium amount you pay depends on your income and your plan.

It’s important to also note that private health coverage doesn’t always cover everything – you may get private coverage and also be able to get public health coverage to cover whatever the private insurance doesn’t pay for.

Read more in DB101’s Individual Coverage article.

Minnesota Health Care Programs

Minnesota has several different public health coverage programs that you may qualify for. Three of the most important for Minnesotans with disabilities are:

• Medical Assistance (MA)
• MinnesotaCare
• Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)

What They Provide

MA, MinnesotaCare, and MA-EPD help pay medical expenses for people with disabilities, older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with low income.

If you qualify, these programs will help pay for your visits to the doctor, hospital stays, prescription drugs, medical equipment, and other medical services. You may need to pay copayments, premiums, or deductibles for these services.

There are a couple of differences between these programs:

1. They have different income and asset limits. Depending on your situation, it may be easier for you to qualify for one of these programs or the other.
2. You have to pay a monthly premium to get MinnesotaCare or MA-EPD, while MA has no premium.

How You Get Them

You can apply for Minnesota public health programs online at MNsure, or you can get help applying at your county or tribal human services office.

Note: The only way you can apply for MA-EPD is by filling out the Minnesota Health Care Programs Application for Certain Populations and taking it or mailing it to your local county or tribal human services office. You cannot sign up online.

When They’re a Good Option

If you or your spouse (or your parents, if you’re under 26) don’t have jobs where the employer will provide you with private health coverage, the public health care options listed here are your best bet. If you have very low income and assets, you may qualify for MA. If your income and assets are a bit higher, you may still qualify for MinnesotaCare. If you are working and have a disability, you will likely qualify for MA-EPD. They can also help if your private health coverage doesn’t cover some of your medical expenses.

Read more about MA, MA-EPD, and MinnesotaCare in DB101’s section on Health Care Coverage.

Medicare

Medicare is another public health program, but it is run by the federal government, not by the state. While you work, some of the money you earn automatically comes out of your paycheck and goes into a Medicare fund. If you become disabled and start getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you will start getting Medicare 2 years after your SSDI benefit begins.

What It Provides

Medicare has different “parts” that each help pay for your medical care.

• Medicare Part A helps pay for medical care you get while you’re in a hospital.
• Medicare Part B helps pay for medical care you get outside of a hospital, like when you go to the doctor.
• Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, is a way to get Part A, B, and sometimes Part D coverage through private companies.
• Medicare Part D helps pay for prescription drugs.

Each Medicare part has different rules for how you sign up, how much you have to pay in premiums or copayments, which medical costs it helps with, and how much of the costs it will help pay for.

How You Get It

People with disabilities get Medicare after being on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for 24 months. SSDI provides income for people have worked and earned enough work credits to qualify, but who can no longer work because of a disability. Once you’ve been getting SSDI for 2 years, you automatically qualify to get Medicare and will begin to get coverage without having to fill out an application.

In the two years before you qualify for Medicare, you’ll need to get coverage through one of the other health coverage options introduced in this article.

When It’s a Good Option

Medicare is always a good option if you qualify. Often it can also be combined with other programs, such as Medical Assistance (MA), so that your share of expenses is lower.

Read more about Medicare in DB101’s Medicare article.

Getting Cash Benefits

There are several important benefits programs that can supply you with income support when your disability limits your ability to work. Your work history, financial situation, and medical condition will impact which cash benefits you qualify for. These are the main options:

• Short-Term Disability Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Workers’ Compensation

These programs will be introduced briefly here. For more detailed information about them, see DB101’s section about Cash Benefits.

What they offer

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance replace some of your income if an injury or illness prevents you from working. Unlike Workers’ Compensation, to get benefits through disability insurance, your injury or illness does not need to be work-related. The amount of money you get each month and the length of time that you get benefits depends on your insurance plan.
• While you work, some of the money you earn automatically comes out of your paycheck and goes into a Social Security fund. If you have to stop working because of your disability, Social Security will take money from this fund and pay you a monthly cash benefit called Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
• If you have a disability, don’t have enough money for your basic needs, don’t have much income, and have limited assets, you may be able to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a monthly cash benefit. Many people who qualify for SSI also qualify for Medical Assistance (MA), Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA), and SNAP.
• Workers’ Compensation is a type of insurance that supplies you with benefits if you become injured or disabled while you’re at work. All employers are required to supply you with this insurance. Generally speaking, most progressive disabilities are not caused by work, but if you were injured at work, you may still be entitled to Workers’ Compensation for expenses related to that injury.

How you get them

• To get private disability insurance benefits, you must be covered by a Short-Term Disability Insurance or Long-Term Disability Insurance plan. Common ways you may be covered are through your job or through other groups you may be a member of, such as a trade union, alumni organization, or other professional organization.
• You can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) online, by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY), or by visiting your local Social Security office.
• You can apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at your local Social Security office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY). If you need help applying for SSI, contact a Social Security Advocate.
• If you become injured at work, you need to notify your supervisor or Human Resources department as soon as possible. You should do so in writing (a letter or email), so that there is a record that you reported your work-related injury or disability. Your employer will then report your injury to the Workers’ Compensation insurance company.

When they’re a good option

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance are always good options, if you are covered. The biggest problem is that most people don’t know about it and so often are not covered. Read more about private disability insurance in DB101’s Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance article.
• SSDI is a great benefit for anybody who qualifies. The benefits can begin when you have had a qualifying disability for 5 months. Also, you automatically become eligible for Medicare health coverage after getting SSDI for 2 years. To learn more about SSDI, read DB101’s SSDI article.
• SSI can be a huge help for you if you have low income and low assets. As with SSDI, to get this benefit, your disability must meet Social Security’s adult definition of disability. To learn more about SSI, read DB101’s article on SSI.
• Workers’ Compensation is important if you have an injury that happened at your work. If you have a disability that prevents you from working that was not caused by your work accident, you will not get Workers’ Compensation benefits. To read an excellent guide to Workers’ Compensation in Minnesota, click here (PDF).

Don't Confuse SSDI and SSI

The Social Security Administration (SSA) runs 2 different important programs for people with disabilities:

1. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays cash benefits to people who have worked long enough and paid into its insurance system before they became disabled.
2. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) pays cash benefits to people with disabilities who have low incomes and low assets.

You may qualify for one or both of these programs.