Social safety net programs can help low-income people afford basic necessities like food, health care, and utilities. However, many older Americans do not receive assistance from the government programs they are eligible for. Understanding where these gaps in eligibility and participation exist is an important step in reaching older adults and providing them with the resources to improve their economic security. By identifying program participation rates for counties and other substate areas, government agencies and community organizations can target outreach efforts in areas with the lowest participation rates or with the highest numbers of people who are eligible for but not participating in certain programs.
This analysis uses the Urban Institute’s Analysis of Transfers, Taxes, and Income Security (ATTIS) microsimulation model and information on US households from the American Community Survey to estimate how many people ages 65 and over are eligible for each of three programs that provide essential support to older adults: the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Medicare Savings Program (MSP). The eligibility estimates are combined with program administrative data to calculate program participation rates at the state, substate, and county levels.
The report shows, across programs and places, large portions of older Americans who are eligible for SSI, SNAP, and MSP but do not receive assistance. In the average month of 2018, about 2.3 million adults ages 65 and older were eligible for but not participating in SSI, 8.9 million were eligible for but not participating in SNAP, and 8.9 million were eligible for but not participating in MSP. In 2018, the national participation rates among people ages 65 and older were 49.0 percent for the SSI program, 46.4 percent among people eligible for a MSP benefit, and 29.8 percent for the SNAP program.
We also see that participation rates varied across places and programs. Some states and counties have participation rates higher than the national average for all three programs, lower than the national average for all three programs, or a mix of higher and lower participation rates across the three programs. For example, Alaska, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington had consistently higher rates across the three programs compared with the national average. Other states, like California, showed differences across programs. California had higher rates for SSI and MSP, but a relatively low participation rate for SNAP. Similar variation was seen at the county level. Considering the 10 counties with the largest populations, 2 counties had consistently higher than average participation rates across all three programs, 2 counties had consistently lower than average rates, and the remaining 6 counties had a mix of higher, lower, or average rates.
The results of this analysis are presented in the Benefits Participation Map, an interactive tool that allows users to compare program participation rates for adults ages 65 and older across SSI, SNAP, and MSP.
