Applicants to federal aid programs face numerous barriers in accessing benefits they are eligible for. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare conducted an extensive qualitative user research study to better understand applicant experience in enrolling in public assistance programs. Based on the results, the study emphasizes the need for simplified, streamlined and less burdensome application processes.
The report highlights that many eligible low-income children are not receiving WIC benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, with participation rates varying significantly by state and lagging behind programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
This policy brief outlines how improved data sharing between federal agencies, state and local governments, and institutions can leverage existing data from other benefits programs to streamline eligibility processes and benefits uptake for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and other programs.
This Urban Institute report explores the impact of benefit cliffs, plateaus, and trade-offs on families receiving public assistance, examining how changes in earnings affect access to essential benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, and housing subsidies.
Benefits Data Trust (BDT), in collaboration with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), conducted a nationwide analysis of how states coordinate across Medicaid and SNAP programs to streamline access to benefits.
This guide explains how states can implement new Medicaid work requirements introduced by H.R. 1, focusing on minimizing harm to eligible clients while preparing for compliance by 2027.
This blog discusses how the “Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1) contains provisions that undermine SNAP and warns that states will be burdened by its fiscal and administrative impact.
This memorandum summarizes the fiscal and programmatic impacts of Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1 – “One Big Beautiful Bill”) on the state, detailing major provisions related to SNAP, Medicaid, higher education, taxation, and other federally funded programs.
This report provides an initial fiscal analysis of how H.R. 1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill”) will affect the state’s federally funded programs across agencies, estimating multi-billion-dollar reductions in SNAP, Medicaid, education, and infrastructure revenues.
An in-depth report that examines how states use automated eligibility algorithms for home and community-based services (HCBS) under Medicaid and assesses their implications for access and fairness.
During this event, researchers addressed questions with findings from data collected from state UI agencies across the country and focus groups with women who have experienced unemployment.
