Outcome-milestone payment system
Outcome-milestone payment system is a system providing a schedule of payments to an EN (or State VR agency acting as an EN) that includes, in addition to any outcome payments which may be made during the individual's outcome payment period, payments for completion by a title II or title XVI disability beneficiary of up to four Phase 1 milestones; and up to eleven Phase 2 milestones for a title II disability beneficiary or a concurrent beneficiary or up to eighteen Phase 2 milestones for a title XVI disability beneficiary who is not a concurrent title II disability beneficiary.
(1) Phase 1 milestones are based on the beneficiary achieving a level of earnings that reflects initial efforts at self-supporting employment. They are based on the earnings threshold that we use to establish a trial work period service month as defined in § 404.1592(b) of this chapter. We use this threshold amount as defined in § 404.1592(b) of this chapter in order to measure whether the beneficiary's earnings level meets the milestone objective.
(2) Phase 2 milestones are based on the beneficiary achieving a level of earnings that reflects substantial efforts at self-supporting employment. They are based on the earnings threshold that we use to determine if work activity is SGA. We use the SGA earnings threshold amount in § 404.1574(b)(2) of this chapter. We use the SGA threshold amounts in order to measure whether the beneficiary's gross earnings level meets the milestone objective.
(g) Transition case is a case where milestones or outcomes had been attained before July 21, 2008 (that is, the work required to meet such a milestone or outcome had been completed by that date). Section 411.551 explains how subsequent payments will be made to the EN (or State VR agency acting as an EN) on a transition case.
(h) Reconciliation payment is a final payment equal to the milestone payments that are unpaid when the beneficiary enters the outcome payment period before all the milestone payments are paid (see §§ 411.525(c) and 411.536).