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Communicating Program Eligibility: A Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Field Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Jeffrey Hemmeter
  • John Phillips
  • Elana Safran
  • Nicholas Wilson

Abstract

We conducted a direct mail field experiment with 4,016,461 individuals to test several key hypotheses about why take-up of Supplemental Security Income among individuals age 65 and above is so low. Communicating likely eligibility in a basic letter generated substantial increases in take-up in relative terms. Adding behaviorally informed statements increased the effectiveness of these communications. Yet, the application rate in our study sample during the full 24-month follow-up period remained no greater than 7 percent. Our results reveal a modest trade-off between increasing applications and the conditional likelihood of award, as well as the award amount.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey Hemmeter & John Phillips & Elana Safran & Nicholas Wilson, 2025. "Communicating Program Eligibility: A Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Field Experiment," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 17(2), pages 446-470, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:446-70
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20210560
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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