Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Work Requirements and Safety-Net Program Participation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Health Economics

Background:

• Work requirements are increasingly implemented in US safety-net programs, but their impact on vulnerable populations is not well understood.
• Little is known about the demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic characteristics of individuals most likely to be negatively affected by these policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between work requirements and enrollment in safety-net programs, specifically the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.
• To identify characteristics of individuals disproportionately affected by SNAP work requirements.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study in Connecticut analyzed SNAP and Medicaid enrollment trends before and after the reintroduction of SNAP work requirements in 2016.
• A triple-differences research design compared outcomes for targeted able-bodied adults without dependents versus exempted parents/caregivers in affected and unaffected towns.
• Data from August 2015 to April 2018 were analyzed from August 2022 to September 2024.

Main Results:

• SNAP coverage declined by 25% (5.9 percentage points) following the implementation of work requirements.
• Medicaid coverage showed no statistically significant change.
• Work requirements disproportionately affected individuals with chronic illnesses, older beneficiaries, and those with lower incomes, increasing their likelihood of SNAP disenrollment.

Conclusions:

• SNAP work requirements led to substantial reductions in SNAP coverage, particularly among the most clinically and socioeconomically vulnerable populations.
• The minimal impact on Medicaid coverage suggests that work requirements did not significantly increase employment to transition beneficiaries off the broader safety net.
• Findings highlight the need to consider the vulnerability of specific populations when designing and implementing work requirements for social assistance programs.