Federal changes to SNAP cost 36,000 Marylanders their food benefits

Thousands of Marylanders lost their food benefits after Congress passed a law last year that slashed and reworked the program, according to new data from the Maryland Department of Human Services.

The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides people money to buy groceries. An estimated 42 million Americans rely on the program. In Maryland, over 633,000 residents, nearly 18% of whom are children, use SNAP.

The average SNAP benefit is $180 per month, according to the Maryland Department of Human Services.

Last year’s H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, cut federal funding for the social safety net program by $200 billion over the next decade.

Since the law went into effect lin November, nearly 36,000 Marylanders who utilized SNAP have lost their benefits, state data shows.

A new tracking dashboard analyzes the demographic groups “that are specifically impacted by H.R. 1,” said Larry Handerhan, assistant secretary for programs under the state Department of Human Services.

In addition to cutting funding, the federal law changed qualifications by expanding work requirements, restricting noncitizen eligibility and shifting more of the cost of the program to states.

Under SNAP rules, adults must work at least 20 hours per week, or 80 hours per month, to receive benefits. This requirement can also be met by earning at least $217.50 per week.

Before H.R. 1 took effect, these work rules applied to those 18 to 54 years old who were “able-bodied adults without dependents.” The rules expanded to include those up to 64 years of age, as well as veterans, homeless people and former foster youth.

Changes hit Maryland adults ages 55-64 the hardest, causing an estimated 12,400 to lose benefits.

The rules changed for families, too. Adults with dependents under 18 who did not work were eligible for benefits. But the dependents’ age was lowered to 14, cutting off around 11,900 Maryland families with older teens.

The federal government used to share SNAP’s administrative costs 50-50 with the states while paying 100% of the cost of benefits. Pre-H.R. 1, Maryland paid about $115 million in administrative costs.

But the state will pay 75% of administrative costs, or an estimated $158 million, in fiscal year 2027, plus a share of the cost of benefits. It’s unknown how much that share will be, Handerhan said.

“At the same time that we’re expected to pay more of the administrative costs, administrative burden is skyrocketing under the program,” Handerhan said. “And specifically with this population of folks who are subject to work requirements.”

Most of the 36,000 people who lost their benefits live in Baltimore City, followed by Prince George’s, Baltimore and Montgomery counties, the data shows.

Some 11,400 homeless recipients and another 4,500 refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants from certain countries are no longer eligible for SNAP, unless they also have a green card, according to the Maryland Department of Human Services.

H.R. 1 also affected the Thrifty Food Plan, which serves as the basis for the maximum SNAP allowance for households. Under the legislation, the Thrifty Food Plan will not account for actual food costs or updated dietary guidelines, and will rely on data from 2021.

Fewer people in Maryland are receiving SNAP benefits. There were about 680,000 recipients last year, and 40% were children. That’s been reduced to more than 633,000, with 18% under 18.

Those reductions pose business risks for grocers and put immense pressure on food banks. For some, customers on SNAP made up nearly half of their sales.

These changes to the program trigger new challenges, Handerhan said. A lot of them are “administrative hurdles to get in and stay in the program.”