When my brother was receiving federal government benefits, I was his paper person.
My brother, Mitchell, had debilitating seizures because of epilepsy, which often left him unable to manage his medical needs and financial affairs. So, I had to make sure he submitted the right paperwork on time to keep the funds coming that he needed to pay for groceries, housing, transportation and any out-of-pocket medical costs. When an agency claimed something hadn’t been received, I was the one who called and argued that it had been.
When Social Security denied his Supplemental Security Income claim, I hired and paid for an attorney who successfully won an appeal. It provided much-needed benefits for my brother, who couldn’t keep a job no matter how hard he tried. His seizures couldn’t be completely controlled by medication. Throughout the process, I was the one who had to make sure the attorney had all the documentation needed for the appeal.
For millions of caregivers, that’s their job, too. They help friends or family — sometimes both — navigate the bureaucracy of government benefits that keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.
But this task is about to get a whole lot harder.
For households relying on the federal safety net, sweeping changes enacted under the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act have fundamentally reshaped Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
New requirements impose stricter work rules, semiannual check-ins and additional paperwork. It strips benefits from immigrants with legal status, such as refugees and asylum seekers. States will have to choose whether to dip into their own funds to make up for this lost coverage or have their residents go without.
I looked at the impact in my home state of Maryland. Up to 80,000 Marylanders may now need to log their work hours to keep their food assistance. On Oct. 1, about 4,500 lawfully present immigrants in the state lost their Medicaid coverage due to new immigration rules related to their immigration status.
The timing of these changes exacerbates an already bad situation for many households.
With the latest consumer price index report showing inflation ticking up to 3.7 percent, everyday household budgets are already stretched to a breaking point. People fighting to balance their monthly budgets might overlook policy rule changes, which put them at risk of falling through the cracks.
I recently spoke with Maryland Secretary of Health Meena Seshamani about the changes. The primary driver of benefit loss won’t be ineligibility.
“Our concern is this creates additional barriers, additional hoops that people have to jump through,” Seshamani said. “Other states that have implemented work requirements … found that the majority of people who dropped out of Medicaid coverage did not drop out because they were not eligible. They dropped out because they couldn’t make it through the bureaucratic process.”
New work requirements and twice-annual renewals go into effect on Jan. 1 and are expected to impact 320,000 Marylanders. The state estimates that up to 152,000 Marylanders on Medicaid may lose coverage.
Maryland officials have taken several steps to ensure that residents can hold onto their Medicaid benefits. The state has launched a public awareness campaign. People can use the state’s online portal at marylandhealthconnection.gov/checkin to see how they may be impacted by the new law, update their contact information and renew their benefits.
But state outreach can only go so far. That is where the phrase “it takes a village” becomes vital.
If you don’t collect food or health benefits yourself, you may know someone who does — an aging parent, a struggling relative working multiple jobs or a neighbor trying to make ends meet. When working-age adults or caregivers get tripped up by administrative red tape, the entire household’s stability collapses, directly threatening the support that vulnerable family members depend on.
Seshamani noted the deep personal toll this creates.
“Health care is so personal for people,” she said. “It forms the very foundation of how you interface with everyone and everything in your life. And to feel that that is precarious for you … is a huge strain on people.”
SNAP rules have changed nationally. Benefit amounts are calculated by subtracting certain basic living costs, such as heating and cooling, from income. Higher deductions mean larger food support. Under the updated rules, households without an elderly or disabled member can no longer automatically claim the standard utility deduction. They must now provide proof of heating or cooling expenses, such as a recent bill, to avoid a cut in aid.
Certain people on Medicaid must prove they are working, volunteering in the community, participating in a job training program or attending school for at least 80 hours a month to maintain their coverage. States must implement the Medicaid work requirements by Jan. 1.
You might be thinking, what’s wrong with asking people to verify their eligibility?
Adding another chore for people who are already stretched to their financial breaking point isn’t a simple inconvenience. It creates an exhausting obstacle for folks who frequently have zero margin for error.
“These are people who oftentimes work in jobs that don’t give them time off to go to an office and submit paperwork,” Seshamani said.
Here is how you can help protect your loved ones from losing their benefits:
- Remind them to check for official notices: They need to log into their SNAP or Medicaid accounts to verify or update their contact information. This is to ensure they are receiving the official notices about their benefits.
- Work with them to use online tools: Point them to state-approved portalsto check whether the new rules apply to them and/or to update their information. For instance, Maryland has a “screener” tool that people can use to see whether the new rules apply to them.
- Help them start early to verify if they qualify for an exemption: Work requirements do not apply to everyone. Help your loved ones determine whether they fall into one of the exempt groups, which include those who are disabled or medically frail, parents and caretakers of children under 14 years of age, and people with disabilities.
Here is a text you can copy, paste, and send to a loved one right now: Hey! Just thinking of you during these tough financial times. New federal rules are changing SNAP and Medicaid. Would you like me to help you check if you will be affected?
Families are already stretched thin enough without losing vital benefits. Reach out today. A quick text from you could spare them months of unnecessary financial headaches.
Follow Michelle’s financial advice show, Dollars & Sense with Michelle Singletary, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Want Michelle to answer your money question on the show? Email [email protected].
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