Reinstatement of eligibility on the basis of blindness or disability

(A) Eligibility for benefits under this subchapter shall be reinstated in any case where the Commissioner determines that an individual described in subparagraph (B) has filed a request for reinstatement meeting the requirements of paragraph (2)(A) during the period prescribed in subparagraph (C). Reinstatement of eligibility shall be in accordance with the terms of this subsection.

(B) An individual is described in this subparagraph if— (i) prior to the month in which the individual files a request for reinstatement— (I) the individual was eligible for benefits under this subchapter on the basis of blindness or disability pursuant to an application filed therefor; and (II) the individual thereafter was ineligible for such benefits due to earned income (or earned and unearned income) for a period of 12 or more consecutive months; (ii) the individual is blind or disabled and the physical or mental impairment that is the basis for the finding of blindness or disability is the same as (or related to) the physical or mental impairment that was the basis for the finding of blindness or disability that gave rise to the eligibility described in clause (i); (iii) the individual’s blindness or disability renders the individual unable to perform substantial gainful activity; and (iv) the individual satisfies the nonmedical requirements for eligibility for benefits under this subchapter.

(C) (i) Except as provided in clause (ii), the period prescribed in this subparagraph with respect to an individual is 60 consecutive months beginning with the month following the most recent month for which the individual was eligible for a benefit under this subchapter (including section 1382h of this title ) prior to the period of ineligibility described in subparagraph (B)(i)(II). (ii) In the case of an individual who fails to file a reinstatement request within the period prescribed in clause (i), the Commissioner may extend the period if the Commissioner determines that the individual had good cause for the failure to so file.

(A) (i) A request for reinstatement shall be filed in such form, and containing such information, as the Commissioner may prescribe. (ii) A request for reinstatement shall include express declarations by the individual that the individual meets the requirements specified in clauses (ii) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B).

(B) A request for reinstatement filed in accordance with subparagraph (A) may constitute an application for benefits in the case of any individual who the Commissioner determines is not eligible for reinstated benefits under this subsection.

(A) Eligibility for benefits reinstated under this subsection shall commence with the benefit payable for the month following the month in which a request for reinstatement is filed.

(B) (i) Subject to clause (ii), the amount of the benefit payable for any month pursuant to the reinstatement of eligibility under this subsection shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter. (ii) The benefit under this subchapter payable for any month pursuant to a request for reinstatement filed in accordance with paragraph (2) shall be reduced by the amount of any provisional benefit paid to such individual for such month under paragraph (7).

(C) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, eligibility for benefits under this subchapter reinstated pursuant to a request filed under paragraph (2) shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as eligibility established pursuant to an application filed therefor.

Whenever an individual’s eligibility for benefits under this subchapter is reinstated under this subsection, eligibility for such benefits shall be reinstated with respect to the individual’s spouse if such spouse was previously an eligible spouse of the individual under this subchapter and the Commissioner determines that such spouse satisfies all the requirements for eligibility for such benefits except requirements related to the filing of an application. The provisions of paragraph (4) shall apply to the reinstated eligibility of the spouse to the same extent that they apply to the reinstated eligibility of such individual.

An individual to whom benefits are payable under this subchapter pursuant to a reinstatement of eligibility under this subsection for twenty-four months (whether or not consecutive) shall, with respect to benefits so payable after such twenty-fourth month, be deemed for purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(i)(I) to be eligible for such benefits on the basis of an application filed therefor.

(A) An individual described in paragraph (1)(B) who files a request for reinstatement in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2)(A) shall be eligible for provisional benefits payable in accordance with this paragraph, unless the Commissioner determines that the individual does not meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(B)(i) or that the individual’s declaration under paragraph (2)(A)(ii) is false. Any such determination by the Commissioner shall be final and not subject to review under paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (c).

(B) (i) Except as otherwise provided in clause (ii), the amount of a provisional benefit for a month shall equal the amount of the monthly benefit that would be payable to an eligible individual under this subchapter with the same kind and amount of income. (ii) If the individual has a spouse who was previously an eligible spouse of the individual under this subchapter and the Commissioner determines that such spouse satisfies all the requirements of section 1382c(b) of this title except requirements related to the filing of an application, the amount of a provisional benefit for a month shall equal the amount of the monthly benefit that would be payable to an eligible individual and eligible spouse under this subchapter with the same kind and amount of income.

(C) (i) Provisional benefits shall begin with the month following the month in which a request for reinstatement is filed in accordance with paragraph (2)(A). (ii) Provisional benefits shall end with the earliest of— (I) the month in which the Commissioner makes a determination regarding the individual’s eligibility for reinstated benefits; (II) the fifth month following the month for which provisional benefits are first payable under clause (i); or (III) the month in which the Commissioner determines that the individual does not meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(B)(i) or that the individual’s declaration made in accordance with paragraph (2)(A)(ii) is false.

(D) In any case in which the Commissioner determines that an individual is not eligible for reinstated benefits, any provisional benefits paid to the individual under this paragraph shall not be subject to recovery as an overpayment unless the Commissioner determines that the individual knew or should have known that the individual did not meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(B).

For purposes of this subsection other than paragraph (7), the term “benefits under this subchapter” includes State supplementary payments made pursuant to an agreement under section 1382e(a) of this title or section 212(b) of Public Law 93–66 .