SSI: trends in state supplementation, 1979-81.

Area of Science:

• Social Gerontology
• Public Health Policy
• Disability Studies

Background:

• The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides financial assistance to aged, blind, and disabled individuals.
• State supplementation is an additional payment provided by states to certain SSI recipients.
• Understanding trends in SSI caseloads and expenditures is crucial for policy evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in the number of recipients of State supplementary payments under the SSI program.
• To examine shifts in the distribution of recipients across eligibility categories (age, blindness, disability).
• To compare trends in recipient numbers with trends in State supplementary payment expenditures.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of administrative data on recipients of State supplementary payments from December 1979 to December 1981.
• Comparison of recipient numbers and eligibility categories over the specified period.
• Examination of expenditure data for State supplementary payments during the same timeframe.

Main Results:

• The total number of recipients for State supplementary payments decreased by 3% (67,000 individuals) between 1979 and 1981.
• This decline mirrored a 3% reduction in Federal SSI payments during the same period.
• Eligibility category shifts included a 9% decrease in age-eligible recipients, a 1% increase in blindness-eligible recipients, and a 1% increase in disability-eligible recipients.
• Despite the decrease in recipients, expenditures for State supplementary payments continued to increase.

Conclusions:

• The SSI program experienced a modest decline in recipients for State supplementary payments, with notable shifts in eligibility demographics.
• The increase in expenditures despite a decrease in caseload suggests rising costs per recipient or changes in payment structures.
• Further research is needed to understand the factors driving these trends and their implications for program sustainability.