The MID-SIPP Model: A Simulation Approach for Projecting Impacts of Changes in the Food Stamp Program

This report introduces the Monthly Income Dynamics, Survey of Income and Program Participation (MID-SIPP) model, developed to simulate the effects of changes in rules on eligibility, participation, and costs in the Food Stamp Program (FSP). Drawing on data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), the simulation framework of MID-SIPP expands considerably the range of FSP policy options that can be analyzed with currently available FSP microsimulation models. The MID-SIPP model also tracks administrative activity associated with certification and reporting requirements. The simulated total of FSP benefits paid under a version of quarterly reporting is $17.1 billion, $1.0 billion more than the simulated total under monthly reporting. Quarterly reporting results in an estimated 37-percent reduction in the total number of administrative reports.