States weigh BBCE and waiver tradeoffs as options to ease SNAP cliffs, officials say
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Summary
Witnesses told a House subcommittee that broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) and time-limit waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABOD/ABAWD waivers) help reduce churn and increase access, but can raise caseloads and short-term error rates; states must balance customer service, staffing and fiscal impacts.
State and local witnesses at a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing described how broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) and waiver authority for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABOD or ABAWD waivers) operate in practice and the tradeoffs states face.
"What BBCE allows is for a state to raise that initial gross income threshold up to 200% of poverty and ease or remove the asset test, but it does not waive the federal net income requirement," Chloe Green of the American Public Human Services Association told the committee. She said BBCE can reduce churn and permit families to build savings, but can also increase caseloads and short-term error rates.
Ohio and Alaska were cited as recent examples of states using BBCE to streamline eligibility and speed processing: Bivens said Ohio and several other states use BBCE to create a sliding scale that reduces benefit cliffs as incomes rise; Alaska officials told the committee their recent adoption improved timeliness and reduced document-related errors.
On waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents, witnesses said the newly narrowed statutory threshold that limits time-limit waivers only to areas with unemployment above 10% removes other flexible indicators states previously used, such as underemployment or insufficient jobs. Franklin County testimony argued that restricting waivers solely to a 10% unemployment rate would remove flexibility needed for areas with seasonal labor markets or underemployment.
Why this matters: These state options directly affect accessibility for households near eligibility thresholds, influence program caseloads and staffing needs, and are a primary focus as states consider implementation choices under the enacted changes to program financing and penalty structures.
Details and tradeoffs: Green outlined the federal baseline rules for income and asset tests (130% gross income test, net income below 100% of poverty, asset limits of $3,000 or $4,500 for elderly/disabled households) and explained how BBCE modifies only the initial gross-income and asset tests. Bivens and other county witnesses said BBCE and standard utility allowances reduce documentation burden and processing time.
Ending: Witnesses recommended that Congress consider making proven flexibilities permanent, provide implementation supports, and balance accountability with flexibility so states can tailor programs without destabilizing error-rate performance.
