Title
The Prospect of Losing Benefits and the Work Decisions of Participants in Disability Programs : A Cross-Program Comparison
UMMS Affiliation
Center for Health Policy and Research; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health; Department of Psychiatry
Date
2-3-2012
Document Type
Article
Medical Subject Headings
Disabled Persons; Insurance, Disability; Medical Assistance; Employment; Work; Insurance Benefits
Disciplines
Health Services Administration | Health Services Research | Public Health
Abstract
Participants in public disability programs face the loss of benefits if they work and earn at substantial levels. Policy makers, researchers, and advocates have suggested that the prospect of benefit loss is, at least in part, an explanation for the low levels of earnings and work participation among disability program participants; however, research on the actual effects is very limited. The authors estimate the prospect of benefit loss effects on work participation and earnings of participants in four disability programs using a unique survey. The findings strongly suggest that the prospect of benefit loss decreases earnings and work participation among disability program participants. Unexpectedly, the authors found little variation in the size of the prospect of benefit loss effects across programs even though there is substantial cross-program variation in the actual benefit loss that occurs with work participation and increased earnings.
Comments
Citation: Gettens, J., Henry, A.D., Laszlo, A., & Himmelstein, J. (2012). The prospects of losing benefits and the work decisions of participants in disability programs: A cross-program comparison. Journal of Disability Policy Studies. E-pub ahead of print. doi: 10.1177/1044207311429345. Link to article on publisher's website