Last year the State of California made a principled decision to expand the eligibility of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, known as CalFresh in California. SNAP is the largest federal nutrition program supporting food security. For decades, California was the only state in the nation to uphold a policy in which individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), commonly known as “Social Security” were not eligible to receive SNAP. The policy maintained that SNAP benefits, were already included as part of an individual’s SSI check. Over time, the real value of the SSI benefit declined, while ineligibility for SNAP was retained.
In summer 2019, for the first time, the State of California will end this policy and extend benefits to a new, large, and high-risk population – those who receive SSI. With a monthly household SNAP benefit at even $50/month, and nearly 400,000 now eligible (half whom are over age 60), the financial impact of this policy change could be over $200 million, not including the local economic benefit. Beyond being the right thing to do, there is reason to hope that by providing low-income older persons with food benefits, that the state and federal government may be able to save money on health care costs. Adequate nutrition and/or more money left over for medications could help keep older adults well and out of hospitals.
In March 2019, Archstone Foundation’s Board of Directors approved a grant of $399,793 to the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) to examine the impact of CalFresh benefits on health outcomes among low-income older adults who receive SSI benefits.
