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Racial Disparities In Federal Disability Benefits

Author

Listed:
  • ERIN M. GODTLAND
  • MICHELE GRGICH
  • CAROL DAWN PETERSEN
  • DOUGLAS M. SLOANE
  • ANN T WALKER

Abstract

We estimate racial differences in the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) decision to award federal disability benefits using newly available data, multivariate econometric models, and Oaxaca decomposition methods. We focus on the appellate level of SSA’s disability decision‐making process. We find that for claimants represented by attorneys there is no statistically significant difference in benefit award rates between whites and African‐Americans. However, for claimants without attorney representation, we find sizable and significant differences between whites and African‐Americans. (JEL J15, H53)

Suggested Citation

  • Erin M. Godtland & Michele Grgich & Carol Dawn Petersen & Douglas M. Sloane & Ann T Walker, 2007. "Racial Disparities In Federal Disability Benefits," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 25(1), pages 27-45, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:coecpo:v:25:y:2007:i:1:p:27-45
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1465-7287.2006.00031.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Oaxaca, Ronald, 1973. "Male-Female Wage Differentials in Urban Labor Markets," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 14(3), pages 693-709, October.
    2. Jianting Hu & Kajal Lahiri & Denton R. Vaughan & Bernard Wixon, 2001. "A Structural Model Of Social Security'S Disability Determination Process," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(2), pages 348-361, May.
    3. Benitez-Silva, Hugo & Buchinsky, Moshe & Chan, Hiu Man & Rust, John & Sheidvasser, Sofia, 1999. "An empirical analysis of the social security disability application, appeal, and award process," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(2), pages 147-178, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Teal W Benevides & Henry J Carretta & George Rust & Lindsay Shea, 2021. "Racial and ethnic disparities in benefits eligibility and spending among adults on the autism spectrum: A cohort study using the Medicare Medicaid Linked Enrollees Analytic Data Source," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-16, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs

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