The Long-Term Effects of Income for At-Risk Infants: Evidence from Supplemental Security Income

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program uses a birthweight cutoff at 1200 grams to determine eligibility. Using birth certificates linked to administrative records, we find low-income families of infants born just below the cutoff receive higher monthly cash benefits (equal to 27% of family income) at ages 0-2, and smaller but statistically significant positive effects on transfers through age 10. Yet, we detect no improvements in health care use and mortality in infancy, nor health and human capital outcomes as observed through young adulthood for these infants. We also find no improvements for their older siblings.