CARE COORDINATION INSIGHT Understanding Medical Relevance of Social Security Disability Insurance By Karen Hercules-Doerr ospitals and healthcare providers often have familiarity, if not expert knowledge, about Medicaid and Medicare health insurance programs. This also can be true of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which is a means-based financial aid program administered by the Social Security Administration. Organizations are searching, if not scouring, for resources they can provide to help uninsured and underinsured patients cover the costs of their healthcare There is, however, a patient population at risk of becoming uninsured who could be helped at a future time through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. SSDI is a federal insurance program, mandated and funded by working taxpayers, that provides a monthly income to people who can no longer work because of a severe disability. 14 Case In Point www.dorlandhealth.com July/August 2011