Medicaid & SNAP Benefit Changes
For close to three years, public assistance benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), have had waivers that were tied to the COVID 19 Public Health Emergency. However, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, which was signed into law on December 29th, ended many of those waivers, and programs will be returning to pre-pandemic rules and amounts. What does this mean to you?
Beginning in March 2023, SNAP recipients will see their monthly benefits return to the standard amounts allowable under SNAP rules and will no longer receive a monthly emergency supplement amount. During the Public Health Emergency, families received the standard amount at the beginning of the month, and the emergency allotment amount at the end of the month. Beginning March 2023, families will only receive the standard amount at the beginning of the month. There are no hearing rights for the loss of the emergency allotments, as this is due to a federal law change. What resources are there to help? Contact the OhioMeansJobs Ottawa County at 419-707-8605, for information on job opportunities to increase your budget. The Ohio State Extension Office offers free SNAP-Ed training on stretching your budget with nutritional planning for food shopping and preparation. For more details on the training, go to SNAP-Ed | Ottawa (osu.edu) or call 419-898-3631. For information on other resources, such as local food pantries, contact the United Way at 2-1-1 or the Ottawa County Department of Job and Family Services at 419-898-3688.
Eligibility for Medicaid benefits will again be redetermined on an annual basis by the County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS), beginning in March 2023. That means that each individual who is currently receiving Ohio Medicaid will have to reapply in order for that benefit to continue. This will be spread out over a twelve-month period, but families may receive renewal application packets as early as March 1, 2023, with information due back to the agency by March 31, 2023. If a renewal packet is not completed and returned to the County Department of Job and Family Services by the deadline, Medicaid benefits will be terminated for those, starting as early as April 30, 2023.
There will be a lot of communication going out to families in the next few months. For individuals receiving these benefits, please make sure that your contact information is up to date by going to https://benefits.ohio.gov or calling 1-846-640-6446 to update your case. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
