(Washington, DC) - Hoosier recipients of Social Security benefits should begin receiving stimulus checks from the federal government soon.  The $250 payments are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed earlier this year, which Congressman Baron Hill supported. 

The Social Security Administration (SSA) began issuing the checks May 7 with the goal of completing payments to Social Security beneficiaries by the end of May.  Checks are also going to applicable recipients of railroad retirement, veterans’ disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).  The payments to Railroad Retirement recipients are scheduled to begin to go out in late May and the payments to disabled veterans in June.  In total, more than 50 million Americans will get this one-time payment.

“More than one million Hoosiers will be receiving this money,” Hill said.  “These economic recovery payments can make a real difference in the lives of millions of older and disabled Americans – many of whom rely on Social Security for their income and who, unfortunately, have been hit especially hard by this economic downturn.”

If someone regularly receives benefits from two or more of these programs – such as Social Security and Railroad Retirement, or a disabled veterans’ benefit and SSI – he or she will receive just one $250 payment.

In addition, Hill has signed on again as a cosponsor of a bill to reduce the Social Security Disability backlog.  The Timely Due Process for the Disabled Act would set a deadline for appeal hearings that currently face delays that can last years, and will better track cases as they move through the appeals process.  The bill is scheduled to be reintroduced in the 111th Congress in the near future.