Federal Cost of Living Adjustment Announced for Social Security and SSI Benefits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that it will apply a 1.6 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for 2020. Click here for more information.

For adult care facility (ACF) and assisted living residents who receive Congregate Care Level 3 SSI, this COLA will be applied to the federal portion of the benefit, bringing it up to $783. Unfortunately, the State Supplement (SSP) remains at $694 per month, since there is no state COLA. Thus, LeadingAge NY calculates that the 2020 total benefit of SSI and SSP will be $1,477 per month. We do not yet know, however, what the personal needs allowance (PNA) amount will be. Based on past years' calculations, the COLA is typically applied to the PNA. We will alert members when more information is issued.

Members are reminded that LeadingAge NY is pursuing a lawsuit against the State given the inadequacy of the SSI/SSP rate for low-income seniors residing in ACFs. Since there is no state COLA, and various costs continue to rise, the payment falls far short of what it costs to provide care. The State had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, and the court heard arguments from both parties over the summer. We will keep members apprised of the developments in this case as they unfold.

Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828