Millions of Americans are losing SNAP benefits: "It feels as though people are being punished"

Key Points:

• The 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA) extended SNAP work requirements from age 54 to 64, causing about 5.2 million Americans, including Lori Covelli from Wisconsin, to lose benefits despite ongoing unemployment and financial hardship.
• States face increased administrative costs under OBBBA, including paying 75% of SNAP program costs starting October 2025 and potential penalties for high payment error rates by 2027, leading some states like Alabama to consider ending SNAP participation.
• Stricter work and volunteer hour requirements (80 hours per month) and changes to exemptions have created confusion, application backlogs, and reduced enrollment, with states like Arizona experiencing a 53% drop in SNAP participation before recent stabilization efforts.
• SNAP recipients report struggles coping with benefit cuts amid rising grocery and energy costs, with average benefits of $6.25 per day insufficient to cover meals, exacerbating food insecurity and forcing families to reduce meals or prescriptions.
• Advocacy groups warn the SNAP overhaul is causing widespread hardship, particularly for older adults caring for grandchildren and those with health issues, and call for reinstating federal food insecurity studies to assess the full impact of these policy changes.