A Transition case is a case where a ticket had been assigned and milestones or outcomes had been attained as of June 30, 2008 (that is, the individual has completed the necessary work to trigger a milestone or outcome payment before July 21, 2008 regardless of whether the payment has actually been made). We will pay outcome and milestone payments at the rate in effect when the work leading to such outcome or milestone is attained. Since milestone and outcome payments are numbered and attained in sequence, the EN must request the final payment for which it expects payment under the prior rules before we can determine the number of the milestone or outcome payment that represents the first payment after July 21, 2008. In addition, for cases on which an EN has attained an outcome payment before July 21, 2008 we must know the sum of the amount paid on the ticket before we can determine the remaining amount that can be paid in outcome payments on the ticket. Therefore, with respect to a ticket, we will only accept payment requests for milestones or outcomes attained under the prior rules until March 31, 2009 or until we make the first payment on the ticket under § 411.525. Payments to an EN (or State VR agency acting as an EN) after July 21, 2008 on a transition case will be made as follows:
(a) The four milestones under the prior rules will be equated with the four Phase 1 milestones available under the rules after July 21, 2008. For example, if a beneficiary had attained milestone 1 under our prior rules (1 month above the gross SGA level, e.g., $940 in 2008), then the next milestone to be achieved would be Phase 1 milestone 2 under these rules (work in three months with gross earnings in each of these months equal to a trial work period service month, e.g., $670 in 2008).
(b) If the beneficiary had attained all four of the milestones under the prior rules, the next milestone to be achieved would be the first Phase 2 milestone (a calendar month in which the beneficiary has worked and has gross earnings from employment or net earnings from self-employment that are more than the substantial gainful activity threshold level, e.g., $900 in 2007).
(c) The maximum number of outcome payments available to an EN with respect to a ticket for a transition case will be computed as follows:
(1) First, we will compute the total dollar amount already paid or payable with respect to a ticket, including all outcome and milestone payments.
(2) Then, we will subtract the total dollar amount already paid from the total value of the ticket under the new rules for the year when these rules take effect. The total value of the ticket will be calculated based on the elected payment system for the beneficiary, i.e., the outcome or the outcome-milestone payment system, and on the appropriate payment calculation base for either a title II disability beneficiary (including a concurrent title II and title XVI disability) or a title XVI disability beneficiary (see §§ 411.500 and 411.505). For accounting purposes, we will use the payment calculation base for 2008 and assume that all payments could be earned in that year in calculating the total value of the ticket.
(3) We then will divide this amount by the applicable outcome payment amount (whether title II or title XVI) payable for 2008 and round the result in accordance with customary rounding principles. The resulting number represents the number of outcome payments available to be paid with respect to the ticket. In no case can this number exceed 60.
[73 FR 29349, May 20, 2008]