§ 416.2001 State supplementary payments; general.

(a) State supplementary payments; defined. State supplementary payments are any payments made by a State or one of its political subdivisions (including any such payments for which reimbursement is available from the Social Security Administration pursuant to Pub. L. 94-23, as amended) to a recipient of supplemental security income benefits (or to an individual who would be eligible for such benefits except for income), if the payments are made: (1) In supplementation of the Federal supplemental security income benefits; i.e., as a complement to the Federal benefit amount, thereby increasing the amount of income available to the recipient to meet his needs; and (2) Regularly, on a periodic recurring, or routine basis of at least once a quarter; and (3) In cash, which may be actual currency or any negotiable instrument, convertible into cash upon demand; and (4) In an amount based on the need or income of an individual or couple. (b) State; defined. For purposes of this subpart, State means a State of the United States or the District of Columbia. (c) Mandatory minimum supplementary payments. In order for a State to be eligible for payments pursuant to title XIX of the Act with respect to expenditures for any quarter beginning after December 1973, such State must have in effect an agreement with the Commissioner under which such State will provide to aged, blind, and disabled individuals (as defined in § 416.202) residing in the State who were recipients of aid or assistance for December 1973 as defined in § 416.121, under such State's plan approved under title I, X, XIV, or XVI of the Act, mandatory minimum supplementary payments beginning in January 1974 in an amount determined in accordance with § 416.2050 in order to maintain their income levels of December 1973. (See §§ 416.2065 and 416.2070.) (d) Supplementary payments for recipients of special SSI cash benefits. A State which makes supplementary payments (regardless of whether they are mandatory or optional and whether the payments are federally administered), has the option of making those payments to individuals who receive cash benefits under section 1619(a) of the Act (see § 416.261), or who would be eligible to receive cash benefits except for their income.