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509 (07/2026) Chapter 2:Eligibility • Section 9: Employed Persons with Disabilities (EPD) employed (taxes, car insurance, routine vehicle maintenance for non-modified vehicles) cannot count as IRWEs or EIEs. It is the responsibility of the individual to justify why the expense can be expected to enhance their independence and employment opportunities. ODHS|OHA staff makes the decision as to whether the expense is consistent with the policy. Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) BWEs are expenses incurred by blind individuals that facilitate employment and independence. They are very similar to IRWEs and EIES, except that: • The person must be blind for the costs to count as deductions, and • BWEs include costs that workers without disabilities must pay, such as taxes, union dues, and payroll mandatory contributions (pensions and disability insurance for example). Examples of BWEs include: • Utilizing the services of a reader to “read” everyday documents such as mail or magazines; • Meals consumed during work hours; • Federal, state, and local taxes; and • Professional association dues. Resource limits The countable resource limit is $5,000. The EPD Program also allows exclusions from the resource limit, which other OSIPM programs do not. EPD participants may exclude resources from this limit if they are in a qualified approved account. Other resources Resources *includes screenshots: Reviews the resource categories and their respective screens. Describes how historical data appears on the Resource Questions screen.. Approved accounts Many individuals with disabilities incur expenses that are directly related to a disability. These expenses are necessary to increase or maintain the individual’s level of independence and employment. An example of such an expense is transportation costs. An individual who uses a motorized wheelchair may require a van with a lift, hand controls or other vehicle modifications. The total cost can easily exceed $30,000. A worker with a disability should be able to save for the purchase or replacement of such an expense without being penalized by losing needed Medicaid benefits. The EPD Program excludes from countable resources any monies that are in segregated accounts with the purpose of saving for future expenditures. These segregated accounts are known as approved accounts. Funds in an approved account must: