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Supplemental Security Income and Child Outcomes: Evidence from Birth Weight Eligibility Cutoffs

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  • Melanie Guldi
  • Amelia Hawkins
  • Jeffrey Hemmeter
  • Lucie Schmidt

Abstract

Low birth weight infants born to mothers with low educational attainment have a double hurdle to overcome in the production of human capital. We examine whether income transfers in the form of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for children with disabilities can help close the gap in outcomes due to this initial health and environmental disadvantage. We exploit a discontinuity in SSI eligibility at 1200 grams and use a regression discontinuity approach to produce causal estimates of the effects of SSI eligibility. We find that eligibility increases disability benefit participation, improves child outcomes and parenting behaviors, and shifts maternal labor supply from full to part time.

Suggested Citation

  • Melanie Guldi & Amelia Hawkins & Jeffrey Hemmeter & Lucie Schmidt, 2018. "Supplemental Security Income and Child Outcomes: Evidence from Birth Weight Eligibility Cutoffs," NBER Working Papers 24913, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24913
    Note: CH EH LS PE
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    Cited by:

    1. Hansoo Ko & Renata E. Howland & Sherry A. Glied, 2020. "The Effects of Income on Children’s Health: Evidence from Supplemental Security Income Eligibility under New York State Medicaid," NBER Working Papers 26639, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Lee, Ajin & Vabson, Boris, 2024. "The value of improving insurance quality: Evidence from long-run Medicaid attrition," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    3. Libertad González Luna & Sofia Trommlerová, 2021. "Prenatal transfers and infant health: Evidence from Spain," Economics Working Papers 1783, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    4. Chyn, Eric & Gold, Samantha & Hastings, Justine, 2021. "The returns to early-life interventions for very low birth weight children," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    5. Purvi Sevak & Steven Bruns, "undated". "What Have We Learned About SSI Receipt Among Children?," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 34b2794f49ce4f8ca28c3e314, Mathematica Policy Research.
    6. Lee, Ajin, 2020. "How do hospitals respond to managed care? Evidence from at-risk newborns," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    7. Libertad González & Sofia Trommlerová, 2021. "Prenatal Transfers and Infant Health: Evidence from Spain," Working Papers 1261, Barcelona School of Economics.
    8. Melanie Guldi & Lucie Schmidt, 2017. "Taxes, Transfers, and Women’s Labor Supply in the United States," Working Papers 2017-01, University of Central Florida, Department of Economics.
    9. González, Libertad & Trommlerová, Sofia, 2022. "Cash transfers before pregnancy and infant health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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