Extended food stamps and Madicaid: Americans may lose some benefits in April

Supplemental Food Stamp Money (SNAP) Assistance May End April 15 If Biden Administration Does Not Extend Public Health Emergency (PHE) Period During Pandemic, Reports Yahoo.

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As the pandemic began to take its toll on the economy and prices began to rise, the USDA granted exemptions to certain states and territories to allow food stamp money to be given out for emergency additional assistance. Assistance was dependent on a state declaration of emergency or natural disaster. Most states and territories have done this and are giving out extra SNAP money to their EBT card recipients as a result.

Health and Human Services Minister Xavier Becerra extended the state of emergency on January 16, 2022, with a new expiration date of April 15, 2022. This means that if the measure is not extended yet again, the additional money for coupons will be at risk.

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The extra money could be about $100 a month, allowing families in need to reach the maximum monthly benefit level, depending on their state's rules and maximums. Without this additional income, families that are still below the poverty line may not receive the maximum monthly allowance.

Food Stamp money, regardless of state or territory, is only allowed to purchase food and groceries from pre-approved vendors and grocers for each state's program. This means that the extra money is guaranteed to go towards feeding families in need - it is not credited to a discretionary account that can be used at the request of each recipient. Restrictions sometimes go so far as to prohibit the purchase of alcohol, hot food, or food to be eaten in the store. In many cases, buying pet food, soap, and even paper towels is not allowed with food stamps.

If additional assistance is not resumed, the following states (including territories) will be affected:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Columbia region
• Georgia
• Guam
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• NH
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Южная Каролина
• Texas
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

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With regard to Medicaid, the definition of an ongoing public health emergency has allowed benefits to be expanded as well as preventing deregistration of Medicaid during the pandemic. If the PHE designation is removed, these benefits will no longer be protected.

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