This study was conducted by staff from Abt Associates, which co-administers CLEAR. The review of this study was conducted by ICF, which co-administers CLEAR and is trained in applying the CLEAR causal evidence guidelines.
Citation
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of the Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND) on earnings and public benefits receipt. This profile focuses on the comparison between the group receiving the benefit offset plus enhanced work incentives counseling (EWIC) and the control group. The authors investigated similar research questions for other contrasts, the profiles of which can be found below:
- The study used a randomized controlled trial. Using administrative data calendar year 2015 and self-report survey data, the authors conducted statistical models to compare the outcomes of the treatment and control groups.
- The study found that the treatment group received significantly more Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits compared to the control group.
- This study received a high causal evidence rating. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to BOND and not to other factors.
Intervention Examined
Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND)
Features of the Intervention
In response to the 1999 Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act, the Social Security Administration (SSA) began testing alternative Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) work rules. These new rules were designed to increase incentives for SSDI recipients and reduce their reliance on benefits. The Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND) project was designed to test alternative SSDI work rules. The benefit offset reduced benefits by $1 for each $2 earned above the determined yearly amount. The intervention was delivered by a variety of public benefits staff across the 10 participating study sites including program administrators, supervisors, benefits counselors, and field staff. Stage 2 of the BOND intervention was designed to serve recruited and informed SSDI volunteers (those most likely to use the benefit offset) rather than the entirety of the SSDI population.
Features of the Study
The study used a randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of BOND on earnings and public benefits receipt for beneficiaries who were most likely to use the offset. Eligibility requirements included receiving SSDI benefits only and being age 18 to 59 at enrollment. A total of 3,041 participants were randomly assigned to the treatment group and 4,849 were randomly assigned to the control group. Participants in the treatment group were eligible to receive the benefit offset and enhanced work incentives counseling (EWIC). Enhanced counseling was proactive and ongoing, specifically informing participants about the BOND program, work incentives, and employment supports as well as intensive services (e.g., detailed employment support plan, skills and interest assessments, assistance in finding and maintaining all needed support). Participants in the treatment group were contacted within two weeks of random assignment and at least quarterly thereafter. Participants in the control group continued services as usual under the law. Data sources included the SSA Payment History Update System (PHUS) for SSDI, the Supplemental Security Record for SSI, and the SSA Master Earnings File and supplemented by the BOND survey. The authors used statistical models to compare the outcomes of the BOND treatment and control groups.
Study Sites
- Alabama
- Arizona/SE California
- Colorado/Wyoming
- DC Metro
- Greater Detroit
- Greater Houston
- Northern New England
- South Florida
- Western New York
- Wisconsin
Findings
Earnings and wages
- The study found no statistically significant differences in annual earnings between the BOND treatment and control groups.
Public benefits receipt
- The study found that the treatment group received significantly more annual SSDI benefits than the control group ($12,545 vs. $12,002).
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The authors noted that the results reported are statistically representative of SSDI beneficiaries who met the eligibility criteria (SSDI-only and age 18 to 59 at enrollment) and would have volunteered for the study if given the opportunity, not the entirety of the SSDI beneficiary population.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to BOND, and not to other factors.