A behavioral economics assessment of social security disability insurance earnings reporting documents |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Mathematica, 1100 First Street NE, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20002, USA;2. Mathematica, 111 East Wacker Drive, Suite 3000, Chicago, IL 60601, USA;3. Mathematica, 955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 801, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA;1. Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA;2. Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA;3. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA;4. Department of Otolaryngology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA;1. School of Nursing University of British Columbia, T201-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada;2. Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, 1025 Queen St West, Toronto, ONT, M6J 1H4, Canada;3. Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, The University of British Columbia, 201-2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada;1. Penn State College of Medicine, 700 HMC Cres Road, Hershey, 17033, PA, USA;2. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, 02215, MA, USA;3. Children''s Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 90027, CA, USA;4. University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, 33602, FL, USA;5. Duke University School of Medicine, 40 Duke Medicine Circle, 124 Davison Building, Durham, 27710, NC, USA;1. Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA;2. Center for Health Services Research, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA;3. The Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA;1. Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, United States;2. National Center for START Services, Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, United States;3. Kennedy Krieger Institute, United States;4. Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence & University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Georgetown University Medical Center, United States |
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| Abstract: | BackgroundSocial Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries who work are often overpaid, with a median overpayment amount of over $9000. These overpayments occur when the Social Security Administration (SSA) pays benefits to beneficiaries not entitled to them because of work; beneficiaries are required to repay the debt to SSA. Work-related overpayments most often occur because beneficiaries work but do not follow SSDI program rules to report earnings and evidence suggests that SSDI beneficiaries are often unaware of reporting requirements.ObjectiveTo assess written earnings reporting reminders that SSA makes available to SSDI beneficiaries as a way of diagnosing a potential barrier to earnings reporting that contributes to overpayments.MethodsUsing insights from the behavioral economics literature, this article provides a comprehensive diagnosis of SSA's written communications that include earnings reporting reminders.ResultsBeneficiaries are infrequently notified or reminded of requirements, especially at points in time when that information is actionable; the content is not always clear, salient, and urgent; relevant text can be hard to find; and communications rarely emphasize how easy it is to report, what needs to be reported, deadlines for reporting, and the consequences of failing to report.ConclusionsPotential shortcomings in written communications may contribute to limited awareness about earning reporting. Policymakers should consider the benefits of improving communications about earnings reporting. |
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| Keywords: | Disability Social security Overpayments Behavioral economics |
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