Objectives. To assess the effects of work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Methods. We used changes in waivers of work requirements to assess the impact of requiring work on the number of SNAP participants and benefit levels in 2410 US counties from 2013 to 2017 using 2-way fixed effects models.
Results. Adoption of work requirements was followed by reductions of 3.0% in total SNAP participation, 4.5% in SNAP households, and 3.8% in SNAP benefit dollars, after controlling for the unemployment, poverty, and Medicaid expansions. Because able-bodied adults without dependents comprise 8% to 9% of all SNAP participants, our findings indicate that work requirements caused more than one third of able-bodied adults without dependents to lose benefits.
Conclusions. Expansions of work requirements caused about 600 000 participants to lose SNAP benefits from 2013 to 2017 and caused a reduction of about $2.5 billion in federal SNAP benefits in 2017. The losses occurred rapidly, beginning a few months after work requirements were imposed.
Public Health Implications. SNAP work requirements rapidly reduce caseloads and benefits, reducing food and health access. Effects on participation could be similar for work requirements in Medicaid or other programs.
- Leighton Ku, Erin Brantley, and Drishti Pillai are with the Center for Health Policy Management, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
