SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
Definition
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides monthly payments to low-income individuals who are aged 65 or older, blind, or disabled. SSI recipients are generally also eligible for Medicaid.
In the 340B context, SSI is relevant to the DSH adjustment percentage calculation. The DSH % includes the ratio of Medicare Part A SSI patient days to total Medicare patient days. This ratio serves as a proxy for the proportion of low-income patients in the hospital’s Medicare population, since SSI recipients are typically low-income.
Accurate tracking of Medicare Part A SSI patient days is important for hospital-type covered entities, as this data affects the DSH % calculation and therefore 340B eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why SSI (Supplemental Security Income) Matters
SSI patient day data is a key input to the DSH % calculation that determines hospital 340B eligibility. Accurate tracking of Medicare Part A SSI patient days is essential for maintaining correct DSH % calculations.
How Virtue 340B Uses It
Virtue 340B references SSI in the context of explaining the DSH % calculation to hospital-type covered entity clients.