Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation is Associated with Lower Health Care Spending among Working Age Adults without Dependents

Grace Kollannoor-Samuel, Kristen A. Boelcke-Stennes, Justine Nelson, Erika Martin, Angela R. Fertig, Jeffrey S Schiff

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Prior evidence suggests an association among food insecurity, poor health, and increased health care spending. In this study, we are using a natural experiment to con¬firm if longer participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is associated with reduced Medicaid spending among a highly impoverished group of adults. In 2013, the mandatory work requirements associated with SNAP benefits were lifted for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). Using 2013 to 2015 Medicaid and SNAP data of 24,181 Minnesotans aged 18-49, we examined if changes in SNAP enrollment dura¬tion affect health care expenditures. In fully adjusted within-participant regression models, for each additional month of SNAP, average annual health care spending was $98.8 lower (95% CI: -131.7, -66.0; p<.001) per person. Our data suggests that allowing ABAWDs to receive SNAP even in months they are not working may be critical to their health as well as cost-effective.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)737-750
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of health care for the poor and underserved
Volume33
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Meharry Medical College.

Keywords

  • ABAWD
  • Food insecurity
  • Food stamps
  • Medicaid
  • Poverty
  • SNAP

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