Health and labor market consequences of eliminating federal disability benefits for substance abusers
By: Pinka Chatterji, Ellen Meara.
Contributors: Meara, Ellen.; National Bureau of Economic Research.
Series: NBER working paper series -- no. 13407.; Working paper series (National Bureau of Economic Research) -- working paper no. 13407.
Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research
Published: 2007
Place of publication: Cambridge, Mass
Language: eng
Number of pages: 49
Subjects: Insurance, Disability -- United States; Social security -- United States; Alcoholics -- Health aspects -- United States -- Mathematical models; Drug addicts -- Health aspects -- United States -- Mathematical models; Alcoholics -- Economic aspects -- United States -- Mathematical models; Drug addicts -- Economic aspects -- United States -- Mathematical models
Description: Using annual, repeated cross-sections from national household survey data, we estimate how the January 1997 termination of federal disability benefits for those with Drug Addiction and Alcoholism affected labor market outcomes, health insurance, health care utilization, and arrests among individuals targeted by the legislation. We employ propensity score methods and a difference-in-difference-in-difference approach to mitigate potential omitted variables bias. Declines in SSI receipt accompanied increases in labor force participation and current employment, but had little measurable effect on insurance and utilization. In the long-run, (1999-2002), rates of SSI receipt rebounded somewhat, and short-run gains in labor market outcomes waned.
Notes: "September 2007"

Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-35).

Also available in PDF from the NBER World Wide Web site (www.nber.org).