(NEXSTAR) – States are getting warnings about the potential consequences of errors in food assistance programs. If they don’t improve, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could be at risk.
Beginning in fiscal year 2028, states with an error rate exceeding 6% will start to lose federal support for SNAP. Currently, if this requirement was in effect, only eight states would qualify for full funding.
Nationwide, the average error rate was almost 11% last year.
If a state can’t lower its error rate below the 6% limit by the deadline, it will be responsible for covering between 5% and 15% of SNAP benefit costs. Generally, states with higher error rates will end up footing a larger bill. However, states with exceptionally high error rates must comply by 2030 at the latest.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, due to these funding alterations, an estimated 300,000 individuals may see their SNAP benefits cut or entirely removed. Subsidies for child nutrition programs serving around 96,000 children could also face reductions.
“Even states striving to improve will face tough decisions,” noted Gina Plata Nino, interim director of SNAP at the Center for Food Research and Action. “Unless there’s a reversal, the SNAP we know is effectively gone—we’re not exaggerating, it’s just the reality.”
Alaska has been reported to have the highest error rate at 25%, which, believe it or not, is a significant decrease from its previous year’s 60% rate. The state’s health ministry attributes the high errors to a focus on maintaining food assistance access, even with incomplete documentation. “This approach helped ensure people had food but increased the risk of errors,” said spokeswoman Megan Darrow.
Other states with notable error rates include Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Oregon, all reporting mistakes in 14% to 16% of cases.
Error rates typically involve both overpayments and underpayments, with overpayments being more prevalent.
The only states that successfully met the 6% target in fiscal year 2024 were Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
This new error rate mandate is part of broader reforms initiated by the “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed last summer. Several other compliance deadlines will also arrive in November.
SNAP, which was previously known as the Food Stamp Program, assists around 42 million individuals across the country. That’s roughly 1 in 8 people.
