New Insights into Disability Beneficiaries' Pursuit of Work
Significant attention has been focused on helping beneficiaries of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) participate in the work force. Increased work activity for these beneficiaries can increase self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on federal benefits, while simultaneously reducing federal outlays. Despite these efforts, work activity among beneficiaries has not increased substantially in recent decades. Three studies sponsored by the Social Security Administration’s Disability Research Consortium provide new information on work activity among SSI and SSDI beneficiaries and offer insights about the barriers they face in pursuing work.
On October 17, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., (ET), Mathematica’s Center for Studying Disability Policy hosted a webinar focused on new research on the work activity of beneficiaries with disabilities. Our speakers discussed the following:
- The impacts of the Great Recession on SSI and SSDI beneficiaries having their cash benefits suspended or terminated for work
- Changes in the characteristics and work activities of SSI and SSDI beneficiaries from 2005 to 2015
- The likelihood that working SSDI beneficiaries receive overpayments and the extent to which overpayments affect beneficiaries' work activity
Presenters:
- Purvi Sevak, moderator (Mathematica)
- Denise Hoffman (Mathematica)
- Michael Levere (Mathematica)
- Gina Livermore (Mathematica)
- Paul O’Leary, discussant (Social Security Administration)
