Missouri Social Security Disability Benefits and SSI

Missouri residents who have medical conditions keeping them from working full-time for at least one year may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI benefits are available to disabled people who've earned enough work credits to become insured under the program, while the SSI program is needs-based and provided to disabled people who have limited income and assets.

If you're not financially eligible for a Social Security disability program—perhaps because you don't have enough work credits for SSDI or have too much in savings to qualify for SSI—you won't be able to collect disability benefits, no matter how severe your medical condition is. However, if you're covered by a private long-term disability provider, you may qualify for monthly benefits at a certain percentage of your usual income.

How to Apply for Social Security Disability in Missouri

Applying for SSDI or SSI is a straightforward process. Many applicants prefer to file online using the Social Security web portal. Online filing has the advantage of being able to pause your application and come back at a later time when you're ready to complete it. If you're filing for SSDI, you can finish the entire application online, but if you're filing for SSI, a Social Security representative will contact you to complete the application in person or over the phone.

If you need help completing the application, you can speak to a Social Security representative by calling the agency hotline at 800-772-1213 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Deaf and hard-of-hearing applicants can use the TTY number at 800-325-0778. Filing over the phone can be convenient for people who struggle with mobility or are far from a Social Security field office, but the wait can be lengthy.

You can also apply in person at your local Social Security field office. There are around 20 field offices in the state of Missouri, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can find the one nearest to you by entering your ZIP code into the office locator tool. Some offices require that you make an appointment before you arrive, so make sure to call them first.

Missouri Disability Determination Services (DDS)

After you've submitted your application for benefits and Social Security has determined that you meet all the preliminary income or work history requirements for the program you applied for, your file will be transferred to Missouri's Disability Determination Services (DDS). DDS is a state agency that helps decide whether you meet Social Security's medical definition of disability.

A claims examiner at DDS reviews your medical records to determine whether you meet a listed impairment or are physically or mentally incapable of working at any job. If you have any questions about the status of your application while it's at DDS—or you need to submit additional evidence—you should contact your claims examiner's office. Contact information for the six DDS locations in Missouri can be found below.

Claims examiners in Missouri approved about 43% of initial disability applications in fiscal year 2023. If you aren't awarded benefits after your first try, you have 60 days to appeal by requesting "reconsideration" of your claim. During reconsideration, a different claims examiner will look at your file and decide whether your initial denial was incorrect. Only about 16% of applications in Missouri are approved at the reconsideration level, but if you receive another denial, you have the opportunity to ask for a hearing with an administrative law judge.

Disability Appeals in Missouri

Social Security's Office of Hearing Operations (OHO) is tasked with scheduling and conducting disability hearings. Once you request a hearing, your file is moved from DDS to the OHO in your area and assigned to a judge's office. The entire process typically takes about eight months on average, although the exact waiting period varies by office.

There are five OHO offices in Missouri. After you've received a "Notice of Hearing Request Acknowledgement" in the mail following your hearing request, you can direct all inquiries and submit new evidence to the OHO handling your claim. Contact information for the Missouri hearing offices is stated below.

Columbia OHO
Suite 105
3402 Buttonwood Drive
Columbia, MO 65201

Telephone: 877-331-8351
Fax: 833-721-0879
eFile Fax: 877-312-1112

Creve Coeur OHO
Suite 100
1285 Fern Ridge Parkway
Creve Coeur, MO 63141

Telephone: 877-833-2445
Fax: 833-953-2009
eFile Fax: 877-389-4213

Kansas City OHO
Suite 910
2300 Main
Kansas City, MO 64108-2450

Telephone: 888-488-7742
Fax: 833-311-0098
eFile Fax: 877-417-4669

Springfield OHO
Suite C
2143 East Primrose Avenue
Springfield, MO 65804

Telephone: 888-472-2404
Fax: 833-748-0025
eFile Fax: 877-389-4215

St. Louis OHO
1222 Spruce Street, Room 6.106
St. Louis, MO 63103-9923

Telephone: 866-404-1859
Fax: 833-311-0096
eFile Fax: 877-389-4216

As of May 2024, judges in Missouri issued favorable decisions (awarding disability benefits) in around 42% of cases.

How Much Does SSI and SSDI Pay in Missouri?

For 2024, the federal government's maximum monthly SSI payment is $943 for an eligible individual and $1,415 for eligible couples. But the state of Missouri offers additional benefits to SSI recipients who live in licensed residential or nursing care facilities and don't have enough money to pay for care in the facility.

You may receive between $156 and $390 per month as an individual through this state program, known as "supplemental nursing care." Couples can receive more. Supplemental nursing care is administered by the Missouri Department of Social Services. The agency has many offices (called "local resource centers") throughout the state. You can find the resource center serving your area using this online map.

Missourians who are receiving SSDI won't qualify for the state supplement, but SSDI monthly benefits are typically larger than SSI benefits, with an average individual payment of $1,537. SSDI benefits cap out at $3,822 in 2024, although few people receive the maximum amount.

Missouri Medicaid Eligibility

If you're approved for SSI, you're probably eligible for the Missouri Medicaid program, MO HealthNet. Missouri's Medicaid income and asset limits for disabled people are different than those for the federal SSI program, however. Unlike SSI, the Medicaid income limits in Missouri are tied to the federal poverty level, which is adjusted every year.

You can qualify for Medicaid as a disabled Missourian if your monthly income is no greater than 85% of the federal poverty level, which in 2024 means a maximum income of $1,067 for an individual and $1,448 for a couple. Missouri does have a "spend down" provision that allows people with earnings over the Medicaid limit to qualify for Medicaid by deducting medical expenses from their income.

Missouri's asset limits for Medicaid are slightly less than $6,000 for an individual and $12,000 for a couple. "Asset" generally means any money you have in the bank or anything that you could sell for cash.

You can apply for Medicaid online using the Department of Social Services application tool.

Disability Rights Organizations in Missouri

In the 1970s, Congress established the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) program in response to the discovery of neglect at institutions for people with developmental disabilities. Now, each state has a P&A agency that advances the rights of people with disabilities and investigates potential systemic abuses.

The designated P&A organization for the state of Missouri is Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services ("Mo P&A"), located in Jefferson City. They can assist you with a wide variety of issues related to disability, including helping you obtain Social Security and Medicaid.

Contact information for the organization is located below:

Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services
925 S. Country Club Drive
Suite B
Jefferson City, MO 65109

Telephone: 800-392-8667
Relay/TDD: 800-735-2966
Fax: 573-659-0677
Email: [email protected]

You can also fill out the intake form on the Mo P&A "Contact Us" page.

Do I Need to Get a Disability Lawyer?

Social Security doesn't require you to have a lawyer at any step of the disability determination process. However, many disability applicants find that hiring an attorney is advantageous for their claim. Many national law firms have offices in Missouri, and there are plenty of smaller "boutique" firms or solo practitioners who focus exclusively on disability rights.

Don't hesitate to ask around to find an attorney who will be a good fit for you. Most disability lawyers offer free consultations, and because they collect fees on contingency, you typically won't have to pay much (if at all) out-of-pocket.