Concerns about these cuts keep growing as SNAP cuts trickle down to public health and health care costs. Losing access to consistent, nutritious food can directly impact members’ health outcomes, while the health care system bears the brunt of managing preventable conditions. Take a deep dive into the real impact of SNAP spending cuts, from those most affected to harmful health consequences.
As SNAP cuts go into effect, they’re set to have the biggest impact on vulnerable populations with significant nonmedical drivers of health (NMDOH). Many SNAP recipients are also enrolled in other social support programs that have been drastically reduced, leaving several key groups without assistance.
SNAP recipients enrolled in Medicaid struggle to engage in their health care, but eating well is just as important as regularly checking in with your doctor. Without consistent access to the nutritious food that SNAP provides, this group could worsen — or increase their risk of — the most prevalent conditions among low-income populations, including:
Think about the grandma who buys only her essential milk, bread and cheese at the grocery store. Or the widower who sticks to frozen entrees.
So many older adults on fixed incomes and community health care depend on SNAP to supplement their food budget. Losing it is a catch-22 because nutrition problems could lead to preventable complications and increase hospitalizations, adding health care expenses to their rising food costs.
Low-income individuals who are either uninsured or who have coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) frequently rely on SNAP. As this lifeline diminishes, so will their health. Limiting this group’s access to food increases their risk of preventable illness, perpetuating a cycle of financial strain that many want to overcome to grow and advance through life.
“But aren’t young people the healthiest?”
Generally speaking, yes. But many receive SNAP, and the OBBBA legislation is like a game of dominoes for these younger adults. Changes to work requirements for SNAP benefits — including that most adults must work 20+ hours per week — and an increasingly hard-to-navigate administration are limiting eligibility. This could leave nearly 3 million young adults vulnerable to food insecurity.
Food insecurity is a critical NMDOH that is strongly linked to negative health outcomes. Research shows a clear connection between a lack of reliable access to nutritious food and a host of health problems.
SNAP cuts won’t just cause health conditions. When people can't afford food, other needs often fall by the wayside, forcing recipients to make tough choices about managing known ailments.
Food-insecure adults are more likely to have poor health, a higher prevalence of chronic conditions and more limited in their daily activities. It feels impossible to stay healthy, and yet they make sacrifices to get by, underusing medication and even putting off medical care.
The downstream impacts of SNAP spending cuts will extend far beyond individual health. From the flow of patients through hospital doors to local spending, this one program alone may bring shockwaves.
As access to nutritious food and overall health deteriorate with the loss of SNAP benefits, your members may be headed to the ER or inpatient care more often. SNAP has been proven to correlate with better health outcomes, but without it, preventable health complications will drive up costs across Medicaid, Medicare and community clinics.
The short-term savings from SNAP budget cuts will generate immediate savings, but the plan could also be misleading as costs mount over time. The measure undermines the federal government’s health and nutrition goals for families to be able to maintain a healthy diet, while local economies also stand to take substantial hits.
Research shows that for every $1 spent, the economy grows by about $1.50. This spending circulates through the economy, leading to $1.54 billion in total economic growth. As SNAP diminishes, grocery stores and farms that rely on SNAP recipients to spend those dollars will see their sales drop, while recipients simultaneously reduce their personal spending at other businesses just to make ends meet.
SNAP spending cuts pose a significant threat to the health and well-being of millions of people and will drive up costs across public health systems. To truly reduce this impact, it’s not enough to advocate for policy change. We must move beyond engagement washing to meaningfully engage and activate members with solutions that address their immediate needs.
Pyx Health empowers you to genuinely connect with members. By integrating food box delivery into our care pathways, we integrate immediate nutritional support and educational resources into member engagement and empower members to address food insecurity. Home-delivered food boxes ensure that the most vulnerable — seniors, people with disabilities or those without transportation — can prevent the physical and mental health deterioration that comes from both food insecurity and social isolation.
For more information about activating member engagement and solutions to food insecurity, explore Pyx Health today.