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Social Safety Net Access Reform
AKA “End Fraud-Prone Welfare Expansion Loopholes”
Which agency/agencies promulgated the regulation? *
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Social Security Administration (SSA)
Targeted revisions to:
7 CFR §273.2(j)(1)(ii) — Eliminate SNAP asset test restrictions that exclude low-income households with modest savings or irregular income.
42 CFR §435.916 — Amend Medicaid renewal rules to prevent procedural disenrollments and require reinstatement during administrative error or verification delays.
20 CFR §§416.912–416.920, 416.1321–1326 — Streamline SSI documentation requirements and prevent suspensions for missed procedural steps where financial need is evident.
These revisions would expand presumptive eligibility, reduce paperwork burdens, and ensure continuity of coverage for eligible individuals.
—OPTIONAL--
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Administrative Barriers to Safety Net Enrollment
Red tape doesn’t stop fraud—it stops access. Excessive documentation requirements, asset tests, and procedural disenrollments keep vulnerable people from life-saving benefits. These rules don’t improve efficiency—they increase suffering.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20201
HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation: info@hhs.gov
For decades, eligibility for vital programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and SSI has been constrained not by fraud prevention but by administrative barriers—onerous paperwork, income verification delays, asset tests, and harsh suspension rules. These disproportionately exclude vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities, people of color, and those experiencing housing instability.
The social safety net cannot function when access is throttled by bureaucracy. Simplifying eligibility, removing procedural traps, and prioritizing continuity of benefits will reduce churn, improve outcomes, and reflect the real-world needs of low-income households. These rescissions don’t weaken oversight—they restore functionality.
Remove the SNAP asset test for households under 200% FPL (7 CFR §273.2)
Prohibit Medicaid disenrollment for failure to return paperwork if eligibility is likely and verification is underway (42 CFR §435.916)
Require SSA to grant presumptive SSI eligibility for applicants already receiving SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF, and limit benefit suspension to willful noncompliance (20 CFR §§416.912–416.920, 416.1321–1326)
Robert F Kennedy, Jr
Secretary of Health and Human Services