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 work incentives counseling (WIC) and the group receiving the benefit offset plus enhanced work incentives counseling (EWIC). 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 for calendar year 2015 and self-report survey data, the authors conducted statistical models to compare the outcomes of the two treatment groups.
- The study did not find any statistically significant differences between the groups on earnings or public benefits receipt.
- This study receives a high casual evidence rating. This means we would be confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to the BOND and not to other factors. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.
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 4,854 participants were randomly assigned to the first treatment group (T21) and 3,041 were randomly assigned to the second treatment group (T22). Participants in T21 were eligible to receive the benefit offset and work incentives counseling (WIC). Counseling services were only provided to the T21 participants if they contacted WIC staff. Participants in T22 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 T22 were contacted within two weeks of random assignment and at least quarterly thereafter.
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 two BOND treatment 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 two BOND treatment groups.
Public benefits receipt.
- The study found no statistically significant differences in annual SSDI benefits between the two BOND treatment groups
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 would be confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to the BOND and not to other factors. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.