CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Coastal Bend residents may see an end to two pandemic-era protections that involve supplemental food benefits and health coverage.
Both have helped keep families healthy and whole during a difficult time, and for some, their loss will bring an entirely new set of challenges.
Over the last month, those who receive SNAP benefits have lost some of the extra money they’ve been getting since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But beginning this weekend, millions of Texans will need to look for ways to do without something else as well.
The SNAP program helps those with lower incomes purchase food for their homes. But now the money that was added to that program during the COVID-19 pandemic -- is going away.
That means those same Texas recipients will have at least $95 less on their Lone Star card and for some households, it could be even more.
"They have to budget for the small amount they are receiving. Most people that are over a certain age are getting just $40 to $80 and with food going up and inflation, it hurts them even more,” said Coastal Bend Food Bank's Angela Gonzalez.
For some, that stress will be compounded when on April 1, states will begin removing people who no longer qualify for Medicaid.
According to the Texas Health and Human Services department, nearly 3 million people in Texas who are no longer eligible, are still on Medicaid because of the government’s pandemic promise that they wouldn’t be removed.
But that promise is now over.
In speaking this week with the group ‘Protect Our Care,’ U.S. Representative Colin Allred said that now is the perfect time for Texas to expand Medicaid.
In the meantime, it is important to keep these families protected.
"I worry that our state is not prepared for the amount of processing that it would take to ensure that there is no lapse in coverage for these families," he said. "That's why it's so important that we do all we can to get these families the resources and information they need so they know how they can keep their family healthy."
Health and Human Services will want to contact residents as they check on their Medicaid eligibility, so make sure that your contact information is up to date.
One easy way to do that is to call 211 and select Option 2.
Residents can also set up an online ‘Your Texas Benefits’ account and read about the change that is taking place.
For more information, click here.
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