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There is frequently "back pay" for either SSI (if based on disability)or SS DISABILITY Insurance. This is because after an application is made for disability is made it can take months or years for the state to make the decision. And yes, it is state employees who make the disability decision, not Social Security. By the time the decision is made you may be owed a lot of back pay, thousands of dollars. Social Security determines how much you get. People with low earnings or work histories that are short or interrupted should apply for BOTH SSI and SSDI or Social Security. SS employees may not tell you that but if you qualify for either SSDI or SS retirement benefits and the amount you are awarded is low because of your work history you may qualify for SSI which means Supplemental Security Income. The 2021 limits for SSI are $794 for a single person and $1191 for a couple. To qualify you also have to have minimal resources. So if you have low resources and say your SSDI is only $500, you could get $294 from SSI as well. And possibly qualify for food stamps also (depending on the SNAP -food stamp-rules). SSI and Social Security are both paid by the Social Security Administration. It's just that the money comes from different funding. SS or SSDI comes from Social Security taxes paid by the worker and employer, but SSI is from general taxes because the elderly, disabled or blind person hasn't worked enough to qualify for enough Social Security above the level of SSI. And yes, legal immigrants who are not yet citizens may also qualify. All this info is available on the website ssa.gov.
Not commenting on whether or not the lump sum back pay is owed to anyone else.....that's a topic for another post. Just wanted to clear up part of the confusion about why there is often back pay and the why someone might get it. And please learn the difference between SSI (needs based) and Social Security (an earned entitlement).
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JoAnn29 Feb 2021
Some people call Social Security SSI for Social Security Insurance. I probably should have asked if they meant Social Security Disability or Supplimental Security Income. I think the OP is the one in a facility. Different situation when Medicaid is footing the bill.
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The nursing home “took” my dad’s back pay, almost $1,000,000.00 of it, that my mom had saved for over 50 years, to pay for the 5 1/2 happy years my mom lived there.

The nursing home deserved and was entitled to every cent they took, the care she received was worth every cent I paid for it, and to this day, I’ve never regretted paying it for one minute
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Hope, we need more info.

Who is in a home? Age? And why did they not have Social Security going in? Is this Social Security Disability? Is the person now on Medicaid?

If this is SS disability yes there may be some back payments. Medicaid will require that the monthly payment go towards the person's care with maybe (depends on the state) $50 of the SS going to a Personal Needs Acct (PNA). Normally, someone applying for Medicaid is not allowed more than 2,000 in assets. (This also depends on the state) So, if the back pay takes the person over the amount ur State allows, then there maybe a problem. I would talk to the Social Worker at the facility concerning this or the Medicaid caseworker assigned to this person. This has never come up on the forum that I remember.

Now if this is just regular Social Security, there is no back pay. Social Security usually starts about 2 months after applying.
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Do you mean Medicaid? Medicaid is who "takes the SSI" in order to pay the NH. Are you speaking about you or someone else? Does this person owe the NH money? Once approved for Medicaid they will pay up to the 3 months of medical expenses prior to the approval.
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JoAnn29 Feb 2021
Medicaid doesn't take it. The NH becomes payee for your SS and any pension. If not set up this way, then whoever is handling the finances needs to send the SS, less the PNA, directly to the Nursing home.
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