Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2019
Abstract
We study the effect of application costs on the targeting of disability programs. We identify these effects using the closings of Social Security Administration field offices, which provide assistance with filing disability applications. Closings lead to a persistent 16 percent decline in the number of disability recipients in surrounding areas, with the largest effects for applicants with moderately severe conditions and low education levels. Disability applications fall by only 10 percent, implying that the closings reduce targeting efficiency based on current eligibility standards. Increased congestion at neighboring offices appears more important as a channel than higher travel or information costs.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Li, Yue and Deschpande, Manasi, "Who Is Screened Out? Application Costs and the Targeting of Disability Programs" (2019). Economics Faculty Scholarship. 1.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/economics_fac_scholar/1
Terms of Use
This article is made available under the Scholars Archive Terms of Use.
Comments
This is the Publisher’s PDF of the following article made available by the American Economic Association: Deshpande, Manasi, and Yue Li. 2019. "Who Is Screened Out? Application Costs and the Targeting of Disability Programs." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 11 (4): 213-48. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20180076