Individuals aged 60 or older and those who meet the definition of disability under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as Food Stamps, can deduct certain medical expenses when calculating the income used to determine their food assistance.
The guide from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) explains that this deduction applies to qualifying medical expenses that exceed $35 per month and are not covered by insurance or by someone outside the household. Accurately reporting them can affect the amount of assistance the family receives.
This is not a reimbursement for medical bills nor a new assistance program. It is a deduction within the SNAP calculation, different from the maximum amounts of Food Stamps reported by CiberCuba.
Who can use the deduction for medical expenses?
For this rule, SNAP considers a person to be older starting at 60 years old, not 65. It also includes individuals of other ages who fit the federal definition of disability under the program.
Among the recognized assumptions are those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or certain disability or blindness benefits from Social Security. The regulations also include other situations, such as specific disability benefits for veterans.
Therefore, having an illness or facing high expenses is not sufficient on its own: the corresponding age or disability requirement must be met. The deduction pertains to the expenses of the individual who meets these criteria, and not automatically to those of all their family members.
What medical expenses can be included?
Eligible expenses include medical and dental consultations, hospital treatments, and nursing care, provided they meet the conditions of the program and the portion that corresponds to the household is identified.
You can also include prescription medications. Over-the-counter medications require the approval of an authorized healthcare professional; purchasing a product at a pharmacy does not automatically make it a deductible expense.
The federal regulations regarding SNAP medical expenses also include health and hospitalization insurance premiums, including those for Medicare, as well as certain expenses incurred by Medicaid beneficiaries.
Among the accepted items are dental prosthetics, hearing aids, prostheses, and prescribed glasses. Medical supplies and equipment are also included, along with their rental, when applicable.
The list includes the reasonable costs of transportation and accommodation necessary to receive medical treatment, in addition to certain home assistance services required due to age, illness, or disability. It does not equate to deducting any travel or domestic service.
What expenses are excluded?
Special diets are not accepted as deductible medical expenses, according to USDA guidelines. The portion of a bill covered by insurance or another individual outside the household cannot be claimed as a personal expense either.
For example, if a consultation costs $150 and the insurance covers $120, the out-of-pocket amount for the household would be $30, not the full price of the consultation. That amount would be totaled along with other eligible medical expenses.
Additionally, there is a difference between declaring medications as an expense and paying for them with food assistance. The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) reminds us that SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase medicines.
How the $35 threshold works
A hypothetical example helps clarify the difference between a deduction and a payment: if a person meets the requirements and has $135 per month in accepted medical expenses, under the calculation of actual expenses, the first $35 would be deducted. The resulting deduction would be $100.
That does not mean you will receive an additional $100 on your EBT card. It means that amount is deducted when calculating the countable income. The final assistance also depends on the household income, its members, and other applicable deductions.
If there is a specific medical bill, rather than a recurring monthly expense, it is advisable to consult how it should be incorporated into the file. The SNAP calculation rules allow, under certain circumstances, to apply the expense in one month or distribute it over the corresponding period. The same bill cannot be deducted twice.
What supporting documents should be gathered?
The USDA requests proof of medical expenses and reimbursements received. Therefore, it is advisable to keep invoices, pharmacy receipts, premium statements, and documents from the insurance provider that clearly differentiate between what is covered and what is related to household expenses.
To facilitate the review, it's useful to organize the documents by individual and date, separate regular expenses from one-time expenses, and indicate the amounts that have already been reimbursed. When a medication or equipment requires professional indication, that documentation should also be retained.
The MyACCESS interview guide explicitly includes medical expenses for members aged 60 or older or with disabilities among the relevant documentation for SNAP. It also states that the interview should proceed even if some documents are missing, as the office can assist in obtaining them.
How to declare them or request a review in Florida
In Florida, the process is handled by DCF. Their official page for applications and benefits management explains that MyACCESS allows you to check your file, report changes, and upload the required documents.
When applying for or renewing SNAP, report the medical expenses of individuals who qualify and provide any supporting documents requested. If you are already receiving assistance and believe that some expenses have been omitted from the calculation, inquire about how to include them and ask for an explanation of what deductions are on your file.
One should not confuse sending an invoice with obtaining automatic approval. The SNAP verification regulation requires verification of relevant medical expenses, including reimbursements. An unverified expense may be excluded from the calculation until the necessary information is provided.
Assistance requests are free of charge. Those in need of guidance can visit a family resource center or a DCF partner organization, or call 850-300-4323, the helpline number published by MyACCESS.
The key is that the file accurately reflects the admitted and documented expenses. Declaring them does not guarantee a specific increase, but it allows the agency to assess the assistance with the information that corresponds to each household.
Related videos:
Filed under: