Administrative Burden and Procedural Denials: Experimental Evidence from SNAP

Giannella, Eric; Homonoff, Tatiana; Rino, Gwen; Somerville, Jason

doi:10.1257/pol.20220701

Abstract

Many government program applications result in procedural denials due to administrative burdens associated with applying. We identify the intake interview as a key barrier to take-up of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and study the effect of an alternative application process designed to reduce burdens. Using a field experiment involving 65,000 Los Angeles applicants, we find that access to flexible interviews initiated by the applicant increases approvals by six percentage points, doubles early approvals, and increases long-term participation by over two percentage points. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating flexibility when designing program integrity policies to minimize procedural denials.

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Administrative Burden and Procedural Denials: Experimental Evidence from SNAP

Abstract

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