Eligibility

• In addition to blindness, age or disability, and limited income, SSI applicants must be U.S. citizens or hold permanent legal-resident status. Applicants can't leave the country for either 30 consecutive days or a full calendar month. SSI applicants must already have applied for any eligible benefits, such as Social Security or private pensions. The applicant must permit the Social Security Administration, which oversees the SSI program, to contact financial institutions and request records about their financial status and history.
  
  

Living Arrangements

• The state of Florida provides additional SSI benefits to people in certain living arrangements. These don't include people living independently or with family members. Eligible living arrangements include adult family-care homes, which serve a maximum of five people and provide shelter, food and personal care; assisted living facilities, serving a minimum of four people and providing the same services; and Medicaid facilities.
  
  

Payments

• As of 2011, Florida provides an additional $78.40 to individuals living in adult care homes or assisted living facilities, bringing the combined state and federal SSI payments to $742.50. Medicaid patients receive a $5 state supplement for individuals and $10 for married couples. For those in adult care homes or assisted living facilities, the supplement includes $54 for personal needs.
  
  

State Recovery

• After the death of an SSI recipient, the state of Florida may file a lien to recover monies paid out during the person's lifetime. SSI public assistance creates a debt against the blind, aged or disabled person's estate; after the death, the state of Florida may file a claim to recoup some of the funds. In Florida, the SSI recipient's homestead is exempt from a claim while occupied by the surviving spouse or dependent children. If the dwelling is no longer the homestead, the exemption ends. Any individuals receiving Medicaid after the age of 55 may have a claim filed against their estate.