Disability insurance

Geographic Variation in Social Security Disability Insurance Beneficiaries’ Mortality Rates

• October 25, 2022
• Susan Barnes
• Disability, Disability insurance, Disparities

This project aims to document and understand how SSDI beneficiaries’ mortality rates vary across counties and states, both in absolute terms and relative to nonbeneficiaries in their communities. In addition to describing the geographic dispersion in mortality, we will document…

The Mortality Impacts of the SSDI Waiting Periods

• October 25, 2022
• Susan Barnes
• Affordable Care Act, Disability, Disability insurance, Medicare, Mortality trends

Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries face two waiting periods before they receive benefits.  There is a five-month waiting period for cash benefits and a subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare benefits.  Because of these rules, some individuals with disabilities may…

Mixed-methods Study on Work-disabled Adults Who Do Not Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits

• October 25, 2022
• Susan Barnes
• Disability, Disability insurance, Disparities, Labor force participation, Understanding America Survey

Fewer than 50% of all American adults with work disabilities currently receive disability benefits, presenting a stark divergence between self-reported work-disability prevalence and disability awards. Yet, we know little about how work-disabled adults make their decisions about whether and when…

Worker Functional Abilities, Occupational Requirements, and Job Accommodations: A Close Look at Three Occupations

• June 3, 2022
• Susan Barnes
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Disability, Disability insurance, Occupational Requirements Survey

Talking about job skills: Researchers develop a common language

• May 17, 2022
• Susan Barnes
• Disability, Disability insurance, Labor force participation, O*NET, Occupational Requirements Survey, Second career

Anu: “I ran a 5k in 37 minutes.” Prasad: “I ate nine muffins as a post-race snack.” Anu and Prasad may be talking about the same 5k race. Or not. It’s hard to tell because they don’t share the same…

Workplace Injuries and Receipt of Benefits from Workers Compensation and SSDI*

• April 13, 2022
• Susan Barnes
• Disability, Disability insurance, Health and Retirement Study, Program interaction, Social Security

We use data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and matched Social Security Administration (SSA) data to study two questions. First, we examine evidence on whether workers who suffer permanently disabling injuries covered by workers’ compensation (WC) subsequently end…

Work Capacity Assessments for Disability Benefit Determinations: An International Comparison

• April 6, 2022
• Susan Barnes
• Disability, Disability insurance, International

Disability protection programs constitute a critical safety net for individuals unable to work due to disabling health conditions. Yet countries differ along a number of dimensions in terms of how their social safety nets assist people with disabilities. Learning from…

Worker Functional Abilities, Occupational Requirements, and Job Accommodations: A Close Look at Three Occupations

• December 22, 2021
• Susan Barnes
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Disability insurance, Occupational Requirements Survey

This report examines the occupational requirements, physical and mental functioning, and use of accommodations among workers in three key occupations: cashiers, receptionists, and those in nursing fields. These jobs are among the top occupations represented in the work histories of…

Workplace Injuries and Receipt of Benefits from Workers Compensation and SSDI*

• December 21, 2021
• Susan Barnes
• Disability, Disability insurance, Program interaction

We use data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and matched Social Security Administration (SSA) data to study two questions. First, we examine evidence on whether workers who suffer permanently disabling injuries covered by workers’ compensation (WC) subsequently end…

Labor-market shocks and historically-disadvantaged-groups’ access to SSI and SSDI

• October 15, 2021
• Susan Barnes
• Disability insurance, Disparities, Labor force participation, Supplemental Security Income

SSI and SSDI uptake are important mechanisms for workers with disabilities adjusting to negative shocks in the labor market. In this project, we aim to determine the extent to which structural barriers have excluded historically disadvantaged groups disproportionately affected by…