Nebraska Social Security Disability Insurance and SSI

If you live in Nebraska and you're unable to work full-time for at least twelve months due to a medical condition, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). You'll first need to show that you're financially eligible to receive disability benefits, either by showing that you've earned enough in work credits to be insured under SSDI or that you meet the needs-based requirements for the SSI program.

How to Apply for Social Security Disability in Nebraska

You can begin your application ("claim") for disability benefits in several ways:

• File online using Social Security's web portal. Online filing has several benefits, including the ability to pause your application and come back to it at a later time. However, while you can complete your entire SSDI claim using the web portal, people filing SSI claims online will be contacted by a Social Security representative to complete their application in person or over the phone.
• Call the national Social Security 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. Both SSDI and SSI applications are accepted over the phone, but the wait can be lengthy.
• Go in person to the Social Security field office closest to you. In Nebraska, the field offices are located in Grand Island, Lincoln, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, and Scottsbluff. They are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call ahead to see if your office requires that you make an appointment before you arrive.

Make sure you have important information at the ready when you begin your application, including your living situation, employment history for the past five years, and names of medical providers you've seen for your condition.

Nebraska Disability Determination Services

Once Social Security is satisfied that you meet the financial eligibility requirements to receive benefits, your file will be sent to Nebraska's Disability Determinations Services (DDS). DDS is a state agency that helps make medical determinations as to whether a claimant meets Social Security's definition of disability.

Claims examiners at the Nebraska DDS will review the medical information in your file to see if you meet a listed impairment or have a residual functional capacity that keeps you from working. If you have questions about the status of your claim, you can contact DDS using the information below:

Disability Determination Services
500 S 84th St., 1st Floor
P.O. Box 82530
Lincoln, NE 68510

Telephone: 800-331-5616 or 402-471-2961
Fax: 402-471-3626
Email: [email protected]

During fiscal year 2023, examiners in Nebraska approved around 48% of initial disability determinations, higher than the national average of 38%. If your claim isn't approved at the initial stage, however, you have 60 days to appeal the denial by requesting that a different claims examiner "reconsider" the denial. Fewer claims (around 16%) are approved after reconsideration, but you can appeal further by asking for a hearing with an administrative law judge.

Disability Appeals in Nebraska

Disability hearings are administered through Social Security's Office of Hearings Operations (OHO). There is one OHO that handles Nebraska hearings, located in Omaha. If you have an in-person hearing scheduled, you'll need to be physically present at the office in Omaha at the time and date printed on your Notice of Hearing. Contact information for the OHO is as follows:

Omaha OHO
Exec Center, Suite 500
1000 N 90th Street
Omaha, NE 68114

Telephone: 888-881-4633
Fax: 833-561-0427
eFile Fax: 877-389-4218

As of May 2024, the average wait time between requesting and conducting a hearing in Omaha was 7 months. Judges in the Omaha office issued favorable decisions (awarding disability benefits) in about 43% of cases.

How Much Does Nebraska Pay in SSI and SSDI?

For Nebraskans who receive SSI the state adds a small supplement to the 2024 monthly federal benefit rate payment of $943. Under the Aged, Blind, or Disabled program, this supplement can range from an additional $50 or so for disabled Nebraskans living independently to over $1,000 for people living in a group home or assisted care facility. (If you're married and your spouse also receives SSI, these numbers may differ.) You can visit the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website for more information or to apply for the supplement.

People who receive SSDI aren't eligible for the state supplement, but the maximum SSDI benefit is greater—$3,822 per month in 2024. However, the average monthly SSDI payment is much lower, at $1,537. This is because SSDI benefits are based on how much money you've made in the past and contributed to the program in payroll taxes, so the exact amount can vary greatly between recipients.

Medicaid in Nebraska

All SSI recipients in Nebraska become eligible for Medicaid when they're approved for SSI. Because Nebraska's Medicaid eligibility for SSI recipients is administered by Social Security, you should automatically be enrolled in Medicaid when you receive your SSI award letter. If you haven't been enrolled, contact your local Social Security office to find out why.

Disability Rights Nebraska

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.

Disability Rights Nebraska is the designated P&A organization for the state of Nebraska. Contact information for their Lincoln office is below:

Disability Rights Nebraska
2930 Ridge Line Road, Suite 205
Lincoln, NE 68516

Telephone: 402-413-2016 or 800-422-6691
Fax: 402-474-3274
Email: [email protected]

While Disability Rights Nebraska doesn't provide representation for Social Security hearings, they may provide referral services to other organizations or attorneys who can help. The organization does assist in employment-related disability issues for Nebraskans who receive SSDI or SSI and are attempting to return to work.

Do I Need to Get a Disability Lawyer?

You aren't obligated to have an attorney at any stage of the disability process, but it's often a smartidea, especially if you're one of the 50% of Nebraska residents who aren't approved on your first try. An experienced disability lawyer can help you meet appeal deadlines, handle communications with Social Security, and represent you at a disability hearing. Many attorneys offer free consultations, so you can get a sense of whether they'd be a good fit for you before committing to a representative.