National Beneficiary Survey

Intro and Overview

The National Beneficiary Survey is an annual cross-sectional survey of Supplement Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) beneficiaries. Content includes socio-demographic information, health and functional status, health insurance coverage, interest in work, barriers to work, use of services, employment, income, and experience with Social Security programs. Available data were collected in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2015. Additional data were collected in 2017 and 2019 and are pending release. The sample is nationally representative, but supplements target specific beneficiary groups like Ticket to Work program participants, however these are not available on the Public Use File.

The Public Use File includes extensive masking and removal of some variables to protect confidentiality. Restricted use data are available for approved SSA researchers for specific projects.

Tips for Getting Started

Codebooks and documentation for each round are available here. Links to an external site.

Key Advantages

More detailed socio-demographic information than administrative data for this population.
Large sample of disabled persons, who generally constitute too small a proportion of major population-based surveys like the American Community Survey or Current Population Survey to study in detail.
Includes information about other program participation (e.g. housing assistance, food stamps etc.)
Some rounds include detailed job seeking information, work goals, employer provided benefits, adaptations in the workplace, and social support from supervisor and coworkers.

Key Disadvantages

Many variables from the full survey are not provided on the public use file, and the variables provided differ by round. Consult codebook - the documentation of which variables are on the public use files is very clear for each round.
Cross-sectional. Participants cannot be linked across rounds in the public use files.
State program participation is available but state of residence is not included in the public use files so a researcher cannot merge information about the state program.

Papers Using these Data

Wittenburg, David C., Jeffrey Hemmeter, Holly Matulewicz, Lindsay Glassman, and Lisa Schwartz. "When Every Dollar Counts: Comparing Reported Earning of Social Security Disability Program Beneficiaries in Survey and Administrative Records." Soc. Sec. Bull. 78 (2018): 13.

Downloading link:

https://heinonlineorg.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/ssbul78&div=21&g_sent=1&casa_token=&collection=journals

Gina Livermore & Debra Wright & Allison Roache & Eric Grau, "undated". "2006 National Beneficiary Survey: Methodology and Descriptive Statistics Links to an external site.," Mathematica Policy Research Reports Links to an external site. 61bab89a459541889bff3c1ca, Mathematica Policy Research.

https://ideas.repec.org/p/mpr/mprres/61bab89a459541889bff3c1cabaf8039.html Links to an external site.

Livermore, Gina, and Maura Bardos. "Why are some SSDI-only beneficiaries poor? Insights from the National Beneficiary Survey." DRC Brief 4 (2014).

https://www-nber-org.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/2014drc/summaries/5.3%20Livermore,%20Bardos%203%20Summary.pdf

Livermore, Gina A., Nanette Goodman, and Debra Wright. "Social Security disability beneficiaries: Characteristics, work activity, and use of services." Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 27, no. 2 (2007): 85-93.

https://content-iospress-com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/articles/journal-of-vocational-rehabilitation/jvr00388

Wright, Debra, Gina Livermore, Denise Hoffman, Eric Grau, and Maura Bardos. "2010 National Beneficiary Survey: Methodology and Descriptive Statistics." Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research (2012).

https://cipre.mathematica-mpr.com/~/media/publications/pdfs/disability/nbs_2010_stats.pdf Links to an external site.

Grau, Eric. "The National Beneficiary Survey-General Waves Round 5: Nonresponse Bias Analysis." Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research (2017).

https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/NBS_R5_Nonresponsebias_508C.PDF Links to an external site.

Grau, Eric, Kirsten Barrett, Debra Wright, Yuhong Zheng, Barbara Carlson, Frank Potter, and Sara Skidmore. "National Beneficiary Survey Round 4 (volume 1 of 3): Editing, Coding, Imputation, and Weighting Procedures." Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research (2012).

https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/NBS%20R4%20Editing,%20Coding,Weighting,%20and%20Imputation(508).pdf Links to an external site.

Stapleton, David, Gina Livermore, Craig Thornton, Bonnie O’Day, Robert Weathers, Krista Harrison, So O’Neil, Emily Sama Martin, David Wittenburg, and Debra Wright. "Ticket to work at the crossroads: A solid foundation with an uncertain future." Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research (2008).

https://cipre.mathematica-mpr.com/~/media/publications/pdfs/ttw_crossroads.pdf Links to an external site.

Published Reports/Working Papers:

https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/TTW5_4_NBSstats2.pdf Links to an external site.

https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/NBS%20stats%20methods%20508.pdf Links to an external site.

https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/Final%20NBS%20Semi%20Structured%20Interview%20Report.pdf Links to an external site.