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The Effect of Cutting Disability Insurance Benefits on Labor Supply in Households

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  • Kauer, Lukas

Abstract

Previous empirical literature has shown a substantial extent of work disincentives in the Disability Insurance (DI). While its focus has been on the inflow into DI and on increases in benefits, this study focuses on a partial benefit cut and on existing beneficiaries. The partial benefit reduction affected married DI beneficiaries only and was also dependent on their entry into DI. The richness of the dataset allows me to look at the behavioral response on labor market participation from the spouse and not only from the beneficiary. Using a difference-in-differences methodology, I find no effect on labor supply or earnings for both members of the couple. If anything, there might be spillover effects into means-tested social insurance. These results indicate partially cutting benefits is not an effective policy to increase labor supply of existing DI beneficiaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Kauer, Lukas, 2014. "The Effect of Cutting Disability Insurance Benefits on Labor Supply in Households," Economics Working Paper Series 1401, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:usg:econwp:2014:01
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    File URL: http://ux-tauri.unisg.ch/RePEc/usg/econwp/EWP-1401.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chen, Susan & van der Klaauw, Wilbert, 2008. "The work disincentive effects of the disability insurance program in the 1990s," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 757-784, February.
    2. Marie, Olivier & Vall Castello, Judit, 2012. "Measuring the (income) effect of disability insurance generosity on labour market participation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 198-210.
    3. Moore, Timothy J., 2015. "The employment effects of terminating disability benefits," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 30-43.
    4. Susan E. Chen, 2012. "Spousal Labor Supply Responses to Government Programs: Evidence from the Disability Insurance Program," Working Papers wp261, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    5. Karlström, Anders & Palme, Mårten & Svensson, Ingemar, 2008. "The employment effect of stricter rules for eligibility for DI: Evidence from a natural experiment in Sweden," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(10-11), pages 2071-2082, October.
    6. Staubli, Stefan, 2011. "The impact of stricter criteria for disability insurance on labor force participation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(9-10), pages 1223-1235, October.
    7. Mark Duggan & Robert Rosenheck & Perry Singleton, 2010. "Federal Policy and the Rise in Disability Enrollment: Evidence for the Veterans Affairs' Disability Compensation Program," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 53(2), pages 379-398, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Deuchert, Eva & Eugster, Beatrix, 2019. "Income and substitution effects of a disability insurance reform," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 1-14.
    2. Tobias Müller & Stefan Boes, 2020. "Disability insurance benefits and labor supply decisions: evidence from a discontinuity in benefit awards," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 2513-2544, May.
    3. Deuchert, E. & Eugster, B., 2016. "Crawling Up the Cash Cliff? Behavioral Responses to a Disability Insurance Reform," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 16/21, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    4. Müller, Tobias & Boes, Stefan, 2016. "Disability Insurance Benefits and Labor Supply Choices: Evidence from a Discontinuity in Benefit Awards," MPRA Paper 70957, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Disability insurance; labor supply; policy reform;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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