What is SNAP and how does it work?

If you have Medicaid, you may be able to receive SNAP. SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The SNAP program provides money each month to buy groceries. If you qualify for SNAP and how much you get depends on a few things, including:

• The size of your family
• Your income
• Other expenses, such as your rent, utilities, medical costs, and child support

People who have Medicaid do not automatically get SNAP. You need to apply for SNAP. Some states may allow people to apply for Medicaid and SNAP at the same time. You must live in the state where you are applying. And you must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified non-citizen. This includes:

• Permanent residents (green card holders) that have lived in the U.S. for 5 years or more, are younger than 18, or are disabled

There are also certain work requirements to be eligible for SNAP, including:

• Participating in a work program for at least 20 hours per week
• Not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing hours
• Taking a job if offered

Some special groups may not be subject to these requirements including:

• Children
• Adults age 65 or older
• Military veterans
• People experiencing homelessness
• Adults age 24 or younger and in foster care on their 18th birthday
• Pregnant people
• Those with health issues that prevent them from working

You can only get SNAP benefits for three months out of three years if you are not working and you:

• Are healthy enough to work
• Between 18 and 50 years old
• Do not have children
• Are not pregnant

The rules may vary from state to state. Your state or local SNAP office can tell you if you qualify.

How to apply for SNAP

You can apply for SNAP a few ways:

• Visit your local SNAP office (find a location near you on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website)
• Visit your local Social Security office
• Online on your state's official Department of Social Services website
• Call SNAP's free line at 1-800-221-5689

You will need to provide some documents when applying for SNAP. These documents are to help prove your:

• Identity
• Age
• Address
• Income
• Employment status
• Citizenship status (U.S. citizen or qualified permanent resident-Green Card holder)
• Health history
• Disability status

Some of the documents you may need include:

• U.S. Passport or green card (Permanent Resident Card)
• Birth certificate
• Driver’s license
• Photo student ID
• Social Security number
• Paystubs
• Medical records
• Utility bills
• Rent or mortgage statements
• Child support or childcare documentation

You may need to be interviewed to be approved for SNAP benefits. If you apply, you will find out if you are approved within 30 days.

What happens if you are approved for SNAP

You do not get cash. SNAP benefits are automatically loaded onto a card, like a debit card. This card is called an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. It works like a debit card at authorized retail stores, farmers' markets, and some online retailers. Create a secret PIN for your EBT card. Then, swipe the card at checkout and enter your PIN. The amount of your purchase is subtracted from your balance. Your balance is the total amount that you have to spend.

You can use your EBT card at most places you can buy food, including:

• Grocery stores
• Wholesale clubs
• Online retailers
• Gas stations
• Convenience stores
• Farmers markets

What can you buy with your EBT card?

You can use your SNAP funds to buy food. This includes any food for your household, such as:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meat, such as beef and pork
• Poultry, such as chicken and turkey
• Fish
• Dairy products, including milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt
• Breads
• Grains, such as rice and lentils
• Snack foods, like chips, crackers, and popcorn
• Pantry staples, like cereal, peanut butter, pasta, sauce, beans, oatmeal, pancake mix, dressings, and condiments
• Baking needs, such as flour and sugar
• Seasonings, like salt, pepper, garlic, and cinnamon
• Juice, soda, seltzer, and other non-alcoholic drinks

You can also use SNAP benefits to buy plants or seeds to grow your own food or herbs to eat.

What you can’t buy with your EBT card

Several items found at many grocery and convenient stores are not covered by SNAP. This means you cannot buy them with your EBT card. They include:

• Beer, wine, and liquor
• Cigarettes or other tobacco products
• Any products that contain CBD or cannabis/marijuana
• Vitamins or supplements
• Medicine
• Live animals
• Foods that are hot when you buy them
• Any nonfood items, such as pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, toothpaste and other personal hygiene products, and makeup

How to get the most for your SNAP dollars

A few tips to help you get more for your money when shopping for groceries:

• Buy foods that are “in season.” This means choosing foods that are naturally ready to be picked at that time of year. These foods are often fresher, taste better, and can cost less. For example, strawberries and spinach are in season in the spring. Corn, tomatoes, and melon are best in the summer. Apples, pears, squash, and pumpkins are ready in the fall. Oranges and broccoli are in season in the winter. Eating in-season produce also helps give you the best quality food.

• Buy frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. These foods are picked when they are in season. So, their nutrients and flavors are usually preserved. But they are easier to store than fresh produce. And they can last longer on your shelf. This helps prevent wasting food.

• Use “Double Up Food Bucks” at farmers markets. Many farmers markets across the United States have this program. It may also be called Double Dollars or Double Your Food Bucks. It gives you twice as much money to spend on food. You bring your SNAP card to the information booth at the farmers market. You tell the person at the booth how much of your SNAP money you want to spend. Your SNAP or EBT card will be swiped for that amount. Then, you will be given tokens that are worth two times as much that you can spend on food at the farmers market. So, if you swipe $10 off your EBT card, you will get $20 in tokens to spend on food.

Remember: When shopping with SNAP benefits, you do not need to calculate tax. Sales tax is not charged on anything bought with an EBT card.

How often do you need to reapply for SNAP?

When you are first approved for SNAP, you get a letter. This letter tells you how long your benefits will last. This period of time is called your “active” or “certification” period. During this time, your benefits will be automatically loaded onto your EBT card. This will happen at the same time each month. But as the end of your active time gets closer, you will get a reminder to complete your SNAP recertification. This means you need to sign up again to keep getting your SNAP benefits.

You need to do this to update your state on your situation. This includes things like:

• Your household members
• Documentation that you have a job or you are a student
• Your health status, including medical records
• Your expenses, such as your rent or mortgage payment, utility bills, childcare, and medical expenses
• Your income, including job wages, Social Security benefits, pensions, and disability insurance payments

This process is like when you first applied for SNAP. But it may be a bit simpler depending on where you live. For example, you may need to be interviewed. But some states may not require this. Generally, you will need to submit:

• A recertification application
• Documents to support your application

You can do this online, by mail, or in person as you did the first time you applied for SNAP. It is important to complete and submit this application right away. This can help avoid a gap in your benefits.