If I’m compensated for participating in a clinical trial, will that affect my eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid?
No. On April 3, 2011, the Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act (IACT) went into effect. The law allows those who receive SSI benefits or Medicaid to accept up to $2,000 in research compensation without losing government medical benefits. Previously, many people who received SSI could not accept compensation for participating in a clinical trial, as the money could increase their income enough to make them ineligible for this government assistance. Because research institutions require that if compensation is offered in a trial it must be offered to all participants, this penalty stopped significant numbers of people with rare diseases from participating in clinical studies. The CF Foundation was the first organization to identify this barrier to clinical research and secured the endorsement of more than 120 health advocacy organizations for the legislation. To qualify for the exemption, SSI recipients must report any compensation received for participating in a qualifying clinical t
