On Oct. 1, changes implemented from One Big Beautiful Bill Act that target government-funded programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid took effect. This is not the first wave of measures going into effect, and more measures are expected to take effect this year.
SNAP is a federal program that assists low-income individuals and families in obtaining nutritious food. It is designed to supplement grocery budgets, raise nutritional levels and ensure everyone has access to nutritious meals.
Historically, the administrative cost of the program was evenly split between federal and state governments, while the costs of SNAP benefits were fully funded by the federal government. Under the new provisions, the federal government is now responsible for 25% of administrative costs, while states are expected to pay the other 75%.
According to calculations released by the federal government, the change decreases funding by $16.9 billion over fiscal year 2027 to fiscal year 2031, at an average of $3.4 billion a year. According to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, Ohio is estimated to have an immediate loss of $67 million.
Starting in October 2027, states will also be required to provide some of the benefit funds for the SNAP program based on their payment error rate.
A state’s error rate is determined by a random sampling of 1,020 SNAP cases. The rate does not measure fraud, but errors within the system itself. Common errors include recipients failing to report income, incorrectly reporting income and expenses and incorrectly reporting the makeup of a household.
If an error rate is reported above 6%, states will be required to provide a percentage of benefit funding in accordance with its error rate. If the error rate is between 6-7.99% it will cover 5% of the SNAP benefits, between 8-9.99% it will cover 10% and if it is 10% or higher it will cover 15% of the benefits.
Ohio had an error rate of 6.76% for the federal fiscal year 2025, an improvement from the previous year's rate of 9.13%. The current national error rate is reported to be 10.62%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
If the new cost structure had been in place for fiscal year 2025, Ohio would have needed to allocate $160 million to the program, according to the ODJFS.
Brian O’Rourke, senior policy analyst for the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, said the new requirements impose additional burdens on the state and recipients.
“Not only are those financial provisions difficult for states,” O’Rourke said. “But it can also make it so that, you know, our systems aren’t properly funded to process applications, to process the work reporting requirements in a timely manner, and make sure people who are eligible for SNAP are getting the benefits that help them afford them.”
Earlier this year, changes to work requirements and eligibility went into effect, putting Ohioans at risk of losing SNAP benefits. According to data from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities and ODJFS, about 80,000 Ohioans were impacted by the changes.
Changes included increasing the upper age limit for work requirements from 54 to 64, as well as removing multiple groups from being automatically exempt from completing the work and time requirements. Those groups include people aging out of foster care, veterans and individuals facing homelessness.
To fulfill the work requirements, individuals have to report working 80 hours a month, participating in a work program for 80 hours a month or a combination of the two. Failure to report results in a loss of benefits after three months.
O’Rourke discussed how the changes made to both Medicaid and SNAP happening at the same time could have harsh impacts for Ohioans across the state.
“Those things happening at the same time, I think, could be concerning for Ohio families,” O’Rourke said. “Many of whom need that support to be able to afford health care and afford access to healthy food.”
According to ODJFS data, Ohio currently has about 1.4 million recipients of SNAP benefits, with more than 8,000 residing in Athens County, which is 13.27% of the county population.
Karin Bright serves as a board member for Rural Action and is the former director of the Athens County Food Pantry. Bright said food insecurity continues to be a large issue in the region, and rising prices are not helping.
“Food insecurity has been an issue long-term in southeast Ohio,” Bright said. “And nothing that is happening is doing anything to make that easier, or to help eliminate that.”
Bright said due to cuts to various federal programs, food security and access to resources have worsened. She added that putting additional pressure on the states puts subsequent pressure on the individuals within the program.
“I think it’s going to be very, very difficult for people to continue to feed their families,” Bright said. “And for families that don’t go through this, understanding how difficult that can be.”
