Supplemental Security Income

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is the largest cash assistance program for the poor and one of the fastest growing entitlement programs; program costs have risen 20 percent annually during the least four years. SSI provides means-tested income support payment to aged, blind, or disabled persons. Last year, more than 6 million persons received about $25 billion in federal and state benefits. In response to SSI's rapid growth, Congress passed legislation limiting drug addicts' benefits, and this year it is considering further restrictions for these recipients as well as for children and noncitizens. This report provides an overview of the SSI program and its recent history. Specifically, it examines factors contributing to caseload growth and changes in the characteristics of SSI recipients.

GAO found that: (1) congressional actions and court decisions have broadened the population eligible for SSI program; (2) Congress has mandated outreach and publicity efforts to help overcome barriers to getting SSI benefits; (3) disabled recipients may stay on SSI longer and receive more benefits because the program does not verify recipients' disability or help them return to work; (4) since the mid-1980s, the number of disabled SSI recipients has increased an average of over 8 percent annually, while the number of elderly recipients has remained almost level; (5) children, noncitizens, and mentally impaired adults have accounted for almost 90 percent of SSI growth since 1991; (6) younger SSI recipients tend to stay on SSI longer and depend more on SSI as a primary source of income; (7) the SSI program should assist recipients achieve their productive capacity and decrease their dependence on SSI; and (8) increasing the number of recipients' disability reviews would help reduce payments to those who are no longer disabled.