Rep. Brown Introduces Legislation to Strengthen SNAP Access for Medically Vulnerable Children

WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Shontel M. Brown (OH-11) released the following statement after introducing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Access for Medically Vulnerable Children Act.

“Families should never have to choose between caring for a sick child and putting food on the table. By improving the SNAP Excess Medical Expense Deduction to give a helping hand to households with a child suffering from a chronic medical condition, disadvantaged families may have one less thing to worry about—their children going hungry,” said Rep. Brown. “We are in the midst of a hunger crisis and must continue to work to ensure that our safety net programs remain resilient.” 

Background:

Currently, SNAP’s Excess Medical Expense Deduction allows qualified households to deduct medical expenses over $35 per month from their income in calculating SNAP benefits.

The SNAP Access for Medically Vulnerable Children Act would improve the SNAP Excess Medical Expense Deduction to include children that suffer from one or more chronic conditions. Under this bill, SNAP households could deduct allowable expenses over $35 incurred by a sick child and, as a result, may qualify for a higher SNAP benefit. 

Congresswoman Brown, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, is an ardent supporter of providing food assistance to struggling families and individuals with disabilities.

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