Montana SSDI and SSI Benefits

If you live in Montana and have a physical or mental condition keeping you from working full-time, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI benefits are available to disabled workers who've paid a certain amount in payroll taxes, while SSI is needs-based and subject to income and asset limits.

How to Apply for Disability Benefits in Montana

Starting your application for disability benefits is fairly simple. You have several options at your disposal:

• Apply online. If you're filing for SSDI, you can finish the entire application online, but if you're filing for SSI, a representative from Social Security will contact you to complete the application.
• Call 800-772-1213 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Deaf or hard of hearing applicants can use the TTY line at 800-325-0778.
• Visit your local Social Security field office.

Montana has seven main Social Security field offices that are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday:

Billings
Room 304
2900 4th Ave. N
Billings, MT 59101

Telephone: 866-895-1795
Fax: 833-515-0411

Bozeman
3205 N 27th Ave.
Bozeman, MT 59718

Telephone: 833-452-0419
Fax: 833-950-3203

Butte
Suite A
2201 Harrison Ave.
Butte, MT 59701

Telephone: 888-632-7068
Fax: 833-515-0409

Great Falls
2008 23rd St. S
Great Falls, MT 59405

Telephone: 877-583-4114
Fax: 833-515-0413

Helena
Suite 1600
10 W 15th St.
Helena, MT 59626

Telephone: 866-563-9496
Fax: 833-515-0407

Kalispell
Suite D
275 Corporate Dr.
Kalispell, MT 59901

Telephone: 888-487-0150
Fax: 833-515-0417

Missoula
3701 American Way
Missoula, MT 59808

Telephone: 866-931-9029
Fax: 833-515-0415

Two other offices are open on a limited schedule:

Glasgow
630 2nd Ave S
Suite F
Glasgow, MT

Telephone: 877-583-4114
Fax: 800-877-8339

Havre
Suite A
123 5th Ave.
Havre, MT 59501

Telephone: 877-583-4114
Fax: 800-877-8339

These offices are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday.

Qualifying for Disability Benefits in Montana

In order to qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you'll need to show that you have a medically determinable severe impairment that keeps you from working full-time—meaning you're earning at or above substantial gainful activity—for at least twelve months. (Montana isn't one of the states that offers short-term disability benefits for illness or injuries that last for less than a year.)

You'll also need to show that you're legally eligible to receive either SSDI or SSI benefits. For SSDI, this means having enough work credits to be insured under the program. For SSI, this means you have limited countable income and assets under $2,000 ($3,000 for couples). When you submit your disability application, your local Social Security field office will determine whether you meet these financial eligibility requirements. If you do, then your application will be handed to a Montana state agency that specializes in medical disability determinations.

Montana SSDI and SSI Disability Determination Services

Claims examiners at Montana Disability Determination Services Bureau (DDS) determine medical eligibility for disability benefits. In Montana, the DDS is a part of the state's Department of Public Health and Human Services. Any questions you have about your disability application after submission should be addressed to your claims examiner at DDS.

The Montana DDS office is located in Helena. Contact information for the office is as follows:

2550 Prospect Ave.
Helena, MT 59601
Telephone: 406-444-3054 or 800-545-3054
Fax: 406-444-3564 or 800-356-4410

DDS handles the initial medical review of all disability applications in Montana. Your claims examiner will request records from your treating doctors, consult with a medical examiner, and decide whether you're disabled according to Social Security regulations.

In fiscal year 2023, about 39% of applicants in Montana were awarded benefits after initial review, on par with the national average. Montanans who aren't awarded at the initial level can appeal within 60 days of receiving the denial notice by requesting reconsideration of their claim.

At the reconsideration stage, a different claims examiner will review the previous decision and determine whether you were erroneously denied benefits. Only about 12% of applications are approved after reconsideration, but you can appeal further by asking for a hearing with a disability judge.

Social Security Disability Appeals in Montana

Disability hearings aren't managed by the state DDS agency. Instead, a department of the federal Social Security Administration called the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) will assign your case to a judge and schedule a hearing.

There is one OHO office in Montana. Its contact information is:

Billings OHO
2900 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 500
Billings, MT 59101

Telephone: 877-545-5512

If your hearing will be in-person, you'll have to be physically present at the OHO at the date and time on your hearing notice.

When you request a hearing, you will have to wait many months to get a hearing date. The average amount of time it takes to get a hearing in Montana is 12 months. Since you (usually) only get one shot at a hearing, you may want to have a disability lawyer represent you. As of April 2024, judges in the Billings office awarded disability benefits in about 47% of hearings.

Montana Supplemental Payments for SSI Recipients

The maximum monthly amount you can receive in SSI is set by the federal government and adjusted every year for inflation. In 2024, the federal benefit rate for SSI is $943 per month, although your monthly check may be less than that amount if you have enough countable income.

Even though the SSI program is federally funded, the payments are administered by the state. Some adults receiving SSI in Montana are eligible for modest supplemental state payments if they aren't living independently.

• If you live in a Montana state-certified assisted living facility, you can receive a monthly supplement of $94. Assuming you're eligible for the full federal benefit rate, that means you'd receive a total of $1,037 in SSI benefits.
• If you live in a state-certified residence for child and adult foster care, you can receive a monthly supplement of $52.75, for a maximum total of $995.75 in SSI.
• If you live in state-certified transitional housing for the developmentally disabled, you can receive a supplement of $26 per month for a maximum total of $969.

The federal benefit rate for couples in 2024 is $1,415 per month. Montana state supplement amounts for couples who both receive SSI are slightly higher combined than each would be separately. If you (or your spouse) already receive SSI but have recently moved into an institution or group home, you should notify Social Security of your changed living situation so that you can qualify for additional funds from the state.

Medicaid for SSI Recipients in Montana

Montana's Medicaid program uses the same eligibility rules as SSI, so if you've been approved for SSI, you'll automatically qualify for Medicaid. Additionally, Montana allows Social Security to enroll SSI recipients in Medicaid, so you don't need to apply separately as you would in some other states.

Disability Rights in Montana

Montanans who are seeking legal assistance may consider using an organization called Disability Rights Montana as a resource. Disability Rights Montana is part of the Protection and Advocacy system established by Congress in 1975 to make sure people with disabilities have the tools they need to safeguard their rights. You can contact the office at:

Disability Rights Montana
1022 Chestnut Street
Helena, MT 59601

Telephone: 406-449-2344 or 800-245-4743
Fax: 406-449-2418
Email: [email protected]

While you don't need to hire an attorney at any stage of the disability determination process, it's generally a good idea, especially if you've received a denial and need to appeal. Most disability attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency—meaning they don't get paid unless you win your Social Security claim.