Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a federally funded need-based disability program that pays a set, monthly, monetary amount. The SSI disability benefit provided by the federal government is the same in all states. However, in most states, SSI recipients receive a monthly benefit amount that's higher than the federal amount ($698 in 2012).
The reason some SSI recipients receive a higher disability payment is that most states offer an additional supplement to the amount paid by the federal government. Every state except Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia pay a state supplement to their disabled SSI recipients.
Each state makes up its own rules about how much the monthly supplement is and who is entitled to the supplement. The amount of the state supplement ranges from $10 to $200, depending on your state. In addition, your state may vary the supplement depending on whether you are single or married and on whether you live in a nursing home or not.
The Social Security Administration administers the state supplement for some states (you can see the state SSI supplemental amounts for these states on the SSA's website). In these states, your application for SSI is an application for the state supplement as well. However, in states that administer their own supplement program, you have to file a supplemental application with the state agency.
The states with Social Security administered supplemental payments are: California, Delware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont.
You can check with your Social Security claims representative when you file for disability about the current amount of your state's supplement and whether you are eligible for it.
