Get Latest WorkWORLD

Changes in Previous Version 3 Releases

Below is a list of previous Version 3 program revisions with added or updated topics in the WorkWORLD Help/Information System. These changes were necessitated by the ongoing maintenance and enhancements implemented in each version of the WorkWORLD software. The changes are listed by release version of the software, with newer releases first and older releases following in reverse chronological order.

NOTE: See the Changes in this Version topic to see what's new in this release.

Version 3.5.1 SP1

Updated initialization file and Help topic to account for change in individual FBR effective August 2001, necessitated by SSA correction announced in June 2001. Updated SEIE topics to reflect final changes in SEIE limits anticipated in earlier release. Updated SGA topic to reflect final changes in SGA limits anticipated in earlier release. Updated all State and Federal WC summary topics with DOL data current as of January 2001. Updated SSA contact topic to reflect changed URL and locator hours. Added updated contact links in SSI and SSDI check error alert topics.

Topics updated

Data Tables

·     Monthly individual SSI benefit amounts for August 2001 and beyond (in initialization file)

Benefits Topics

·     Federal Benefit Rate - SSI

·     Student Earned Income Exclusion

·     Student Earned Income Exclusion Amount

·     Substantial Gainful Activity

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Alabama

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Alaska

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Arizona

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Arkansas

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - California

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Colorado

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Connecticut

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Delaware

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - District of Columbia

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Florida

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Georgia

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Hawaii

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Idaho

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Illinois

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Indiana

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Iowa

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Kansas

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Kentucky

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Louisiana

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Maine

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Maryland

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Massachusetts

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Michigan

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Minnesota

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Mississippi

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Missouri

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Montana

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Nebraska

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Nevada

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - New Hampshire

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - New Jersey

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - New Mexico

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - New York

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - North Carolina

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - North Dakota

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Ohio

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Oklahoma

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Oregon

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Pennsylvania

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Puerto Rico

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Rhode Island

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - South Carolina

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - South Dakota

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Tennessee

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Texas

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Utah

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Vermont

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Virgin Islands

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Virginia

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Washington

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - West Virginia

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Wisconsin

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - Wyoming

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - U.S. FECA

·     Workers' Compensation Summary - U.S. LHWCA

Text Results

·     Recommendation: Try Using a SEIE

·     Alert: SSDI (Title II) Check Amount Error

·     Alert: SSI Check Amount Error

Operational Feature Topics

·     Contacting the Social Security Administration

·     Version

·     Changes in this Version

Version 3.5.1

Changed the default help window behavior to Not on Top. Modified data entry routines to prevent entry of illegal characters in situation labels and file, consultant, and customer names. Added topic about Confidentiality and Personal Identifiers and links from several topics related to it. Updated Food Stamp benefits topics using Fiscal Year 2001 rates. Substantially increased indexing of operational topics. Updated Veterans Affairs (VA) topics with calendar year 2000 rates. Added Additional Information section to all State SSI Supplement topics. Added calendar year 2001 data to initialization file for SSI benefit rates, SGA limits, SEIE limits, and Medicare Part B premium amount, and updated affected Help topics.

Added resource deeming to questions and calculations. Added questions and associated calculations to correctly handle situations where SSDI recipients were previously under or over paid at a time when they were also receiving SSI. Corrected SSI amount calculation for situation when user has SSI but not Medicaid, as well as SSDI and Medicare, and the Medicare Part B premium is not paid by Medicare. Fixed rounding error in PMV amount. Fixed SSI initial eligibility calculations for applicants who are blind when SGA is not a factor. Added married but living apart from spouse question for SEIE calculations.

Topics added

Questions

·     How much of your parents' resources are deemed to you?

·     How much of your spouse's resources are deemed to you?

·     Were you receiving SSI during the time you were underpaid?

·     Were you receiving SSI during the time you were overpaid?

·     Are you married but living apart from your spouse?

Benefits Topics

·           Food Stamp Special Rules for Elderly People or People With Disabilities

Text Results

·     Note: You are Financially Eligible for SSI (Blind)

·     Note: Work Incentives have made you Financially Eligible for SSI (Blind)

Operational Feature Topics

·     Confidentiality and Personal Identifiers

Data Tables

·     Annual SEIE maximum amounts (included in initialization file for use in data validation)

Topics updated

Questions

·     Do you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI-Title II)?

·     Has SSA notified you that a final determination that you are eligible for SSI has been made?

·     What is the total dollar value of the Resources that you are including in a PASS?

·     What is the total dollar value of the Resources that your spouse is including in a PASS?

·     Do you receive Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)?

·     Is Your Medicare Part B Premium Deducted from your SSDI Check?

·     How much of these earnings are you claiming as SEIE?

Benefits Topics

·     Food Stamp Program - Overview

·     Food Stamp Benefit Levels

·     Food Stamp Resource Tests

·     Food Stamp Income Tests

·     Food Stamp Sample Calculations

·     VA Benefits - Means Test Thresholds

·     VA Benefits - Disability Compensation Amount

·     VA Benefits - Improved Pension Amount

·     VA Benefits - Vocational Rehabilitation Rates

·     VA Benefits - Spina Bifida Allowance

·     VA Benefits - Death Pension Amount

·     VA Benefits - Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Amount

·     Federal Benefit Rate - SSI

·     Substantial Gainful Activity

·     Student Earned Income Exclusion

Text Results

·     Note: Work Incentives have made you Financially Eligible for SSI

·     Note: If Your Resources Increase, You Could Lose Your SSI Benefit

·     Alert: You Have Lost Your SSI Eligibility because of Excess Resources

·     Alert: You are not Eligible for SSI because of Excess Resources

·     Recommendation: Try using a SEIE

Operational Feature Topics

·     Name a file using "Properties" Command

·     Save a File

·     Save As

·     Situation Label

·     Text Results

·     Tutorial Example 1

·     Using the Help System

·     Version

·     Changes in this Version

·     Help, About WorkWORLD

·     Printing Instructions

·     Export a Case File - Overview

·     Installing WorkWORLD Software

·     Uninstalling WorkWORLD Software

·     Month and Year - Situation

Data Tables

·     Monthly individual and couple SSI benefit amounts for 2001 (in initialization file)

·     Monthly Medicare Part B premium amount for 2001 (in initialization file)

·     SGA for Blind for 2001(in initialization file)

·     Proposed SGA for 2001 (in initialization file)

·     Proposed SEIE for 2001 (in initialization file)

Version 3.5.0

Added several new questions that allow for the possibility of user employing IRWE or BWE for SSI cash benefit eligibility. These complement the existing questions about PASS in similar circumstances. Added several questions about individualized earnings thresholds for self and spouse that complement the fixed 1619b thresholds established for each State. Added questions about final determination by SSA for SSI and SSDI.

A number of new Alerts were added to cover various circumstances when PASS amounts exceeded available income for both self and spouse. Several other Alerts were added to warn of loss of Medicaid benefits when earnings exceeded 1619(b) State or individualized thresholds for self or spouse. Alerts were added to warn about earning SGA prior to final determination by SSA of SSI and SSDI eligibility.

The State thresholds have been incorporated into the initialization file to allow for automatic Alerts. Additionally, SSI supplement maximums used for data validation were updated in the initialization file, based on information supplied by SSA. All States with SSI supplements now have topics showing the Supplement amounts for all applicable living arrangements in the Help and Information System. Several informational topics related to individualized 1619(b) thresholds and their estimation were added.

At each point in the program when a list of file names is displayed, the user interface has been enhanced to allow very long file names to be shown completely, in addition to all the file properties. The lists, when displayed, can be sorted in ascending or descending order on any of the available columns.

Many small modifications to command names and buttons were made to enhance consistency and conformance to Windows standards. Operational topics were updated to reflect the enhancements.

Topics added

The added topics correspond to the following items in the software. The new topics provide guidance for answering new questions, interpretation of text results, instruction on the use of program operational features, and data tables with explanations for benefits.

Questions

·     IRWE for SSI Cash Benefit Eligibility: Are you claiming any of your disability-related work expenses to receive at least $1 of SSI Cash Benefits? [NOTE: Don't do so if you can include in PASS instead.]

·     How much of these work expenses are you claiming as IRWE?

·     BWE for SSI Cash Benefit Eligibility: Are you claiming any of your work expenses to receive at least $1 of SSI Cash Benefits?

·     How much of these work expenses are you claiming as BWE?

·     Individualized Threshold: Has an individualized earnings threshold been established for you (above which you lose Medicaid coverage)?

·     How much is your individualized earnings threshold per month?

·     Spouse Individualized Threshold: Has an individualized earnings threshold been established for your spouse (above which your spouse loses Medicaid coverage)?

·     How much is your spouse's individualized earnings threshold per month?

·     Has SSA notified you that a final determination of your eligibility for SSI has been made?

·     Has SSA notified you that a final determination of your eligibility for SSDI has been made?

Text Results

·     Alert: You are not Eligible for SSI because of Excess Income (Blind)

·     Alert: You are not Eligible for SSI because of Excess Income (PASS/IRWE Possibilities)

·     Alert: You are not Eligible for SSI because of Excess Income (PASS/BWE Possibilities)

·     Alert: PASS Higher than Available Income

·     Alert: PASSes (Yours and Spouse's) Higher than Available Income

·     Alert: Spouse's PASS Higher than Available Income

·     Alert: PASSes (Spouse's and Yours) Higher than Available Income

·     Alert: Medicaid Lost (State Threshold)

·     Alert: Medicaid Lost (Individualized Threshold)

·     Alert: Spouse Medicaid Lost (State Threshold)

·     Alert: Spouse Medicaid Lost (Individualized Threshold)

·     Alert: Earning SGA could jeopardize your SSI Eligibility

·     Alert: Earning SGA could jeopardize your SSDI Eligibility

Operational Features

·     WorkWORLD Web Site

·     Technical Support

·     Help, About WorkWORLD Personal

·     Exiting the Program

Data Tables

·     State SSI Supplement maximums for Year 2000 (included in initialization file for use in data validation)

·     State 1619(b) Threshold Levels for Disabled and Blind for Year 2000 (included in initialization file for use with Text Result Alerts)

·     SSI State Supplements for Year 2000 (35 topics for newly added States)

·     Average Per Capita Medicaid Expenditure by State (new topic to permit estimate of individualized 1619(b) threshold)

Topics updated

The topics updated fall into three categories, operational feature topics, benefits topics, and Text Results. The operational features topics were updated due to the new enhanced capabilities incorporated into the software or to reflect other usability modifications. Benefits topics and Text Results were updated due to fiscal year changes in the benefit programs, or to incorporate additional or changed information.

Operational Feature Topics

·           Overview - Getting Started

·           WorkWORLD Screen Features

·           Using the Help System

·           Tutorial Example 1

·           Main Menu

·           Open a Saved File

·           Navigating WorkWORLD and Entering Data

·           Create a New Situation

·           Delete a Situation

·           Save a File

·           Save As

·           Printing Instructions

·           Delete a Saved File

·           Import a Case File - Operation

·           Export a Case File - Operation

·           Convert a Database - Operation

·           Understanding WorkWORLD Results

·           Text Results - Alerts

·           Text Results - Notes

·           Text Results - Recommendations

·           Version

·           Changes in This Version

·           Installing WorkWORLD Software

·           Uninstalling WorkWORLD Software

·           Text Results

·           Text Results - Alerts

·           Text Results - Notes

·           Text Results - Recommendations

Benefits Topics

·           SSI State Supplements for Year 2000 (for 10 States with existing topics)

·           SSI State Supplements - Federal Admin

·           SSI State Supplements - State Admin

·           SSI State Supplements - None

Text Results

·           Alert: You are not Eligible for SSI because of Excess Income

·           Note: Work Incentives have made you Financially Eligible for SSI

·           Alert: SSI Eligibility lost because of Unearned Income

·           Alert: Your Earned Income prevents you from being SSI Eligible

·           Alert: You Have Lost Your SSI Eligibility because of Excess Resources

·           Recommendation: Try using a PASS

·           Recommendation: Try a PASS for Spouse

·           Recommendation: Try using a PASS (Blind)

·           Recommendation: Try a PASS for Spouse (Blind)

·           Recommendation: PASS Possibilities

·           Recommendation: PASS Possibilities (Blind)

·           Recommendation: PASS Possibilities for Spouse

·           Recommendation: PASS Possibilities for Spouse (Blind)

·           Recommendation: Increased PASS Possibilities

·           Recommendation: Increased PASS Possibilities for your Spouse

Version 3.0.2

Simplified the Medicare Part B Premium deduction (from SSDI check) by asking the question, "Is Your Medicare Part B Premium Deducted from Your SSDI Check?" only when user has Medicaid and Medicare Part B. (In such cases, Medicaid usually pays the Part B Premium.) If the user gets Medicare Part B, but not Medicaid, the Part B Premium is automatically deducted.

A number of other topics had minor changes to clarify the meaning of certain descriptions.

Topics Updated

·     Medicare Part B Premium Deduction

·     Version

·     Changes in this Version

·     Toolbar Options

·     Installing WorkWORLD Software

·     Tutorial Example 1

Version 3.0.1

Many new and improved features were incorporated into this major new release. By carefully ordering old and some new questions, the number of questions required was reduced while allowing the user to employ WorkWORLD even while SSI or SSDI benefits are not being received. This release improved the handling of WC/SSDI family maximum, PMV and supported living, and 1/3rd Rule and PASS/PMV. Use of PASS with IRWE/BWE was clarified, as well as SSI/SSDI and Medicare payment.

New and improved operational features include greatly improved text outputs to permit greater control of scrolling, addition of Help Information button on toolbar, and enhanced printer selection and control. The program also gained defaults for state of residence and consultant name, and the ability to import and export case files to permit sharing complex cases without requiring data entry.

Many topics were updated with new benefit rates for year 2000, and new Federal rates for 2000 were incorporated into calculations. Additionally, contacts, addresses, and URLs which had changed since the prior release were updated.

Topics added

The added topics correspond to the following items in the software. The new topics provide guidance for answering new questions, interpretation of text results, instruction on the use of program operational features, and data tables with explanations for benefits.

Questions

·     Would you want to get SSI and Medicaid except that you have too much income or financial resources?

·     Is Your Medicare Part B Premium Deducted from your SSDI Check?

·     State SSI Supplement: Would the State increase your Federal SSI cash benefit by adding a supplement into your Federal SSI check?

·     Unearned Income: Do you have any cash income other than earnings?

·     IRWE for SSI Eligibility: Are you claiming any of your work expenses in order to meet the SGA test for SSI Eligibility?

·     How much of these work expenses are you including in an IRWE to meet the SGA test for SSI Eligibility?

Text Results

·     Alert: You are not Eligible for SSI because of Excess Income

·     Recommendation: You may become SSI Eligible by Including Your Employability Investments in a PASS

·     Alert: Your Earned Income prevents you from being SSI Eligible

·     Recommendation: Include your Disability-Related Work Expenses in an IRWE to become SSI Eligible

·     Alert: You are not Eligible for SSI because of Excess Resources

·     Note: You are Financially Eligible for SSI

·     Note: Work Incentives have made you Financially Eligible for SSI

·     Recommendation: Paying for your own Food or Rent may be Advantageous

·     Recommendation: Try earning more money

·     Recommendation: Try going to work

·     Alert: Pass too high

·     Alert: IRWE too high

·     Alert: BWE too high

Operational Features

·     Version

·     Conversion Utility (Installation) - Overview

·     Conversion Utility (Installation) - Operation

·     Conversion Utility (Installation) - No Old Version Found

·     Conversion Utility (Installation) - No Valid Cases to Convert

·     Conversion Utility (Installation) - New Database Not Found

·     Changes in this Version

·     Convert a Database - Operation

·     Convert a Database - No Old Version Found

·     Convert a Database - No Valid Cases to Convert

·     Convert a Database - New Database Not Found

·     Contacting the Social Security Administration

·     Export a Case File - Overview

·     Export a Case File - Operation

·     Export a Case File - Duplicate Export File Name

·     Export a Case File - No Files Selected

·     Export a Case File - Exported Filename Changed

·     Uninstalling WorkWORLD Software

·     Import a Case File - Overview

·     Import a Case File - Operation

·     Import a Case File - Duplicate Import File Name

·     Import a Case File - No Files Selected

Data Tables

·     State 1619(b) Threshold Levels

Topics updated

The updated topics fall into two categories, operational feature topics and benefits topics. The operational features topics required updating due to the new enhanced capabilities incorporated into the software. Benefits topics required updating due to fiscal year changes in the benefit programs, or to incorporate additional information.

Operational Feature Topics

·     Using the Help System

·     Tutorial Example 1

·     Main Menu

·     Text Results - Recommendations

·     Toolbar Options

·     Name a file using "Properties" Command

·     Text Results

·     Navigating WorkWORLD & Entering Data

·     Save a File

·     Save As..

·     Text Results - Notes

·     Printing Instructions

·     Installing WorkWORLD Software

·     Text Results - Alerts

·     Delete a Saved File

·     Situation Label

·     Delete a Situation

·     State of Residence

Benefits Topics

·     Substantial Gainful Activity

·     Federal Benefit Rate - SSI

·     SSI Resources - Conditional Payments

·     SSI State Supplements -- Federal Admin

·     SSI State Supplement -- State Admin

·     Family Maximum

·     Earned Income Credit (EIC)

·     Getting Medicare Part B

·     EIC - Qualifying Children

·     In-Kind Support

·     One-Third Reduction Rule

·     PMV Rule In-Kind Support

·     PASS - Spouse

·     PASS Amount

·     PASS

·     Plan for Achieving Self-Support

·     Recommendation: Increased PASS Possibilities

·     Recommendation: Increased PASS Possibilities for your Spouse

·     Recommendation: PASS Possibilities

·     Recommendation: PASS Possibilities (Blind)

·     Recommendation: PASS Possibilities for Spouse

·     Recommendation: PASS Possibilities for Spouse (Blind)

·     Recommendation: Try a PASS for Spouse

·     Recommendation: Try a PASS for Spouse (Blind)

·     Recommendation: Try using a PASS (Blind)

·     Recommendation: Try using a PASS

WorkWORLD™ Help/Information System

   Share/Save: Click the button or link at left to select your favorite bookmark service and add this page.

This is one topic from the thousands available in the WorkWORLD™ software Help/Information System.
Complete information about the software is available at: http://www.WorkWORLD.org