The Experience of Administrative Burdens in SNAP and Medicaid: New Evidence from a Nationally Representative Survey of Low-Wage Workers
A national survey of low-wage workers showing that administrative burdens in SNAP and Medicaid are common and strongly linked to food hardship, healthcare hardship, and chronic illness.
This brief presents new evidence on learning, compliance, and psychological burdens that people encounter when trying to access or maintain SNAP and Medicaid, finding that 9%–32% of low-wage workers experienced these barriers.
It shows that burdens are more frequent in SNAP than Medicaid and disproportionately affect people with disabilities, people with chronic illness, and those facing food or healthcare insecurity. The findings highlight how administrative complexity can worsen the very hardships these programs intend to reduce, underscoring the need for streamlined processes and burden-reducing reforms.
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