Do State Snap Policies Influence Program Participation Among Seniors?

37 Pages Posted: 19 Jul 2021 Last revised: 18 Nov 2021

See all articles by Jordan Jones

Jordan Jones

USDA Economic Research Service

Charles Courtemanche

University of Kentucky

Augustine Denteh

Tulane University

James Marton

Georgia State University - Andrew Young School - Department of Economics

Rusty Tchernis

Georgia State University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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Date Written: July 2021

Abstract

Senior participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has traditionally been lower than other groups among those eligible, with historical estimates below 50 percent. We examine the impacts of state SNAP policies on program participation among low-income senior (age 60 and older) and non-senior households using data from the 2001-2014 December Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. Our results suggest that policies designed to expand SNAP eligibility modestly increased participation among seniors but led to larger increases among non-seniors. In contrast, we find little evidence of effects of policies related to transaction costs, stigma, or outreach on either group.

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Suggested Citation

Jones, Jordan and Courtemanche, Charles and Denteh, Augustine and Marton, James and Tchernis, Rusty, Do State Snap Policies Influence Program Participation Among Seniors? (July 2021). NBER Working Paper No. w29037, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3889144 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3889144

Jordan Jones (Contact Author)

USDA Economic Research Service ( email )

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Charles Courtemanche

University of Kentucky ( email )

Augustine Denteh

Tulane University ( email )

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James Marton

Georgia State University - Andrew Young School - Department of Economics ( email )

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Rusty Tchernis

Georgia State University - Department of Economics ( email )

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