42 USC § 1381a - Basic entitlement to benefits

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s1381a"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "42 USC § 1381a - Basic entitlement to benefits"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
section_number: "1381a"
section_name: "Basic entitlement to benefits"
chapter_number: 7
chapter_name: "SOCIAL SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "XVI"
subchapter_name: "SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME FOR AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XVI, § 1602, as added Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 301, Oct. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 1465; amended Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, § 2663(j)(2)(E), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1170; Pub. L. 103–296, title I, § 107(a)(1), Aug. 15, 1994, 108 Stat. 1477.)"
---


# § 1381a. Basic entitlement to benefits

Every aged, blind, or disabled individual who is determined under part A to be eligible on the basis of his income and resources shall, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this subchapter, be paid benefits by the Commissioner of Social Security.

---

**Source Credit**: (Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XVI, § 1602, as added Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 301, Oct. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 1465; amended Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, § 2663(j)(2)(E), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1170; Pub. L. 103–296, title I, § 107(a)(1), Aug. 15, 1994, 108 Stat. 1477.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1602 of , as added , , ; amended , , ; , , title IV, § 403(e), , 418; , , §§ 210(a)(5), 213(a)(4), 241(d), , 898, 917, formerly classified to , set forth the required contents of State plans for aid to the aged, blind, or disabled, and for medical assistance for the aged, prior to the general amendment of title XVI of the Social Security Act by . Text of former section 1602 of act , is set out under .

### Amendments

1994— substituted “Commissioner of Social Security” for “Secretary of Health and Human Services”.

1984— substituted “Health and Human Services” for “Health, Education, and Welfare”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , but not to be construed as changing or affecting any right, liability, status, or interpretation which existed (under the provisions of law involved) before that date, see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date

, , , provided that this section is effective .

### Application to Northern Mariana Islands

For applicability of this section to the Northern Mariana Islands, see section 502(a)(1) of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America and Proc. No. 4534, , 42 F.R. 6593, set out as notes under , Territories and Insular Possessions.

### Puerto Rico, Guam, and Virgin Islands

Enactment of provisions of , eff. , not applicable to Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, see , set out as a note under .