If you are receiving government assistance for a disability, it is possible to receive extra benefits. As long as you prove that you are receiving disability benefits, you can receive free services and products.
Specific programs can provide you with free passes to your favorite national park or a free furnace for those cold winter months.
You can also receive over-the-counter products for free if you qualify. Receiving Social Security benefits does not have to be limited to disability funds.
Read further to see the free services and products available to you as a government beneficiary.
About Free National Parks Passes
There are over 2,000 forest services, national park services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and more for Americans to explore the nation’s landscape.
If you receive Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), then you have the opportunity to enjoy the country’s natural parks for free.
With an access pass, you can visit many of these sites to enjoy fishing, hiking, riding, sporting and so much more.
While you must typically pay $80 for an annual pass, the entrance fee is waived for SSDI recipients who receive a free access pass through SSDI.
Beneficiaries can also waive the entrance fee for up to three guests so they can bring a friend or two along on their adventures.
Several of these parks have ADA accessible handicap-friendly tours. Acquiring this access pass can be very beneficial for those who like to travel at a cheap price.
About Free Home Appliances
The U.S. Department of Energy provides a Home Weatherization program to low-income citizens across the country.
Individuals receiving SSI are given priority for this program and are automatically eligible. The purpose of this program is to provide federal grants to replace broken furnaces, energy inefficient refrigerators and freezers.
The program can also assist with roof repairs, window replacements and other fixes to help make American homes more energy efficient.
Local weatherization agencies provide these services and can help you with the application process. When you contact your state, you can ask them to provide the address to the agency in your area.
Once you apply and are approved for the program, the agency will perform an energy audit.
About Free Over-the-Counter Medicine and Equipment
If you are an SSDI recipient, then you will automatically qualify to receive Medicare and may qualify for Medicaid depending on your income.
There is a possibility that your health care plan gives you an over-the-counter benefit. Certain programs allow qualifying members to order a large variety of health products at no charge and get the items delivered to their homes.
The types of products you can receive for free are equipment like blood pressure monitors, heating pads and shower benches.
Vitamins and supplements like fish oil, stress tablets and multivitamins are also available. States will usually have a print catalog or website listing the items you may order for free.
It is also typical that recipients do not get charged any tax or shipping fees for these items.
About Free Career Training
For SSDI beneficiaries looking to get back into the workforce, the Social Security Administration runs a program that can support this endeavor.
The Ticket to Work job training initiative works with State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies and other private partnerships to help recipients of SSDI.
Their purpose is to help recipients become independent again. This main benefit of this program is that it includes job opportunities with the government.
There is a specific clause in the program stating that disabled applicants will not have to compete with non-disabled applicants.
The program will help the participant from beginning to end, helping him or her prepare for work and maintain the job.
The Ticket to Work program lets its participants receive Medicare for eight years after they start working, as long as they still have a disability.
