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I am wanting to move to Puerto Rico from mainland U.S. and draw SSI. I am wondering if anyone knows if I will still be able to get my benefits such as monthly check, medical insurance, and food stamps there?
I am wanting to move to Puerto Rico from mainland U.S. and draw SSI. I am wondering if anyone knows if I will still be able to get my benefits such as monthly check, medical insurance, and food stamps there?
If you move to Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, America Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands you will be able to draw SS monthly checks and Medicare payments. You will not be able to receive SNAP food stamps in Puerto Rico but I believe the program is available in the other territories. Puerto Rico was removed from the SNAP program in the 1980s although Puerto Rican congressional delegates have repeatedly tried without success to get Congress to allow Puerto Rico back into the program.
Forget about the neighboring US Virgin Islands too. No SSI here either and, although we have the SNAP program, it's totally overloaded. And if you're on Medicare you can of course get treatment at the hospital but finding a physician who takes Part B is a real chore as more and more are opting out all the time.
It's available here but I understand 70% of the applications are denied and the appeal process is very long and convoluted. Definitely not something to bank on.
It's available here but I understand 70% of the applications are denied and the appeal process is very long and convoluted. Definitely not something to bank on.
I don't understand why it has to be so difficult. Im assuming it's a side effect of the status issue?
If you move to Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, America Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands you will be able to draw SS monthly checks and Medicare payments. You will not be able to receive SNAP food stamps in Puerto Rico but I believe the program is available in the other territories. Puerto Rico was removed from the SNAP program in the 1980s although Puerto Rican congressional delegates have repeatedly tried without success to get Congress to allow Puerto Rico back into the program.
SNAP was replaced by NAP in PR in the 1980's. It is the same thing, only the Fed Govt gives a lump sum to PR and it is administered by the PR Govt. You use your debit card for the same types of purchases, but the card cannot be used in other territories or states.
I don't understand why it has to be so difficult. Im assuming it's a side effect of the status issue?
I don't think status has anything to do with it but more likely it boils down to a huge demand on a bureaucratic system that's slow to begin with ("island time"!) and stretched where manpower, or rather it's inefficiency, is concerned (ditto island time). Honestly, I don't think it wise for someone who's reliant on social security and the adjacent benefits to think of moving to either PR or a US territory. Unless you have some other form of retirement income it's almost impossible to get by on just that given the much higher cost of living in general.
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