50 signatures reached
To: President Biden
Restore SNAP Food Benefits to Disabled Medicaid Clients!
Among those most heavily impacted by the recent cut to SNAP food benefits are families caring for disabled loved ones. These families tend to have much higher out-of-pocket expenses for non-covered over-the-counter medications and supplies. While states have the authority to pay spousal and parental caregivers, most continue to refuse to do so. At the same time the burden of care frequently precludes any other employment by the caregiver. When coupled with the severe financial resource limits imposed by state Medicaid programs, these families are far more vulnerable to any significant benefit cuts. As home care becomes increasingly unaffordable, many of these families are under intense financial pressure to abandon care of a loved one to far more expensive institutionalized care.
Fortunately, President Biden has the authority to take several actions to restore the lost SNAP benefits to disabled Medicaid clients receiving care at home and their families. By executive order, the President can abolish or modify the rule that requires that families caring for disabled loved ones spend 30% of their income on food. Alternatively, he can also change the USDA rule to PERMANENTLY raise SNAP benefits for these families to the maximum allowable amount based on household size (as they were under the COVID Public Health Emergency).
Fortunately, President Biden has the authority to take several actions to restore the lost SNAP benefits to disabled Medicaid clients receiving care at home and their families. By executive order, the President can abolish or modify the rule that requires that families caring for disabled loved ones spend 30% of their income on food. Alternatively, he can also change the USDA rule to PERMANENTLY raise SNAP benefits for these families to the maximum allowable amount based on household size (as they were under the COVID Public Health Emergency).
Why is this important?
My family is among those caregiving families that have been heavily impacted by the loss of SNAP food benefits. My spouse, Jon, is profoundly disabled with ALS and several other serious medical conditions. He requires continual care which precludes any outside employment by myself. We have struggled to make ends meet solely on Jon’s monthly disability payment.
In January, we were notified that our monthly SNAP benefit would be reduced from $516 to $13. This cut in benefits represents a 97.5% reduction in SNAP benefits and is nearly 30% of our monthly income! This severe benefit cut dramatically increases the risks to my ability to continue to care for Jon at home. To avoid Jon's forced return to institutionalized care, we have been forced to depend upon a GoFundMe campaign to replace our lost food benefits. While our story is deeply personal, it is also illustrative of the injury being inflicted upon the many families caring for disabled loved ones nationwide. (To learn more about this issue, our personal story, and our GoFundMe effort; please see the excellent recent video and print article that appeared on Scripps News via the following link: https://scrippsnews.com/stories/families-are-struggling-with-reduced-snap-benefits/ )
I have started this petition out of a deep conviction that no family already struggling under the strain of providing care to a seriously ill or injured loved one should ever have the additional worry about how to put food on the table! Please join me in telling President Biden to take immediate action to make this crucial change in SNAP benefit rules to to end this cruel food insecurity and support low-income disabled persons and their caregiving families.
Thank you so very much for your support of this petition! (and please share it on your social media platforms.)
In January, we were notified that our monthly SNAP benefit would be reduced from $516 to $13. This cut in benefits represents a 97.5% reduction in SNAP benefits and is nearly 30% of our monthly income! This severe benefit cut dramatically increases the risks to my ability to continue to care for Jon at home. To avoid Jon's forced return to institutionalized care, we have been forced to depend upon a GoFundMe campaign to replace our lost food benefits. While our story is deeply personal, it is also illustrative of the injury being inflicted upon the many families caring for disabled loved ones nationwide. (To learn more about this issue, our personal story, and our GoFundMe effort; please see the excellent recent video and print article that appeared on Scripps News via the following link: https://scrippsnews.com/stories/families-are-struggling-with-reduced-snap-benefits/ )
I have started this petition out of a deep conviction that no family already struggling under the strain of providing care to a seriously ill or injured loved one should ever have the additional worry about how to put food on the table! Please join me in telling President Biden to take immediate action to make this crucial change in SNAP benefit rules to to end this cruel food insecurity and support low-income disabled persons and their caregiving families.
Thank you so very much for your support of this petition! (and please share it on your social media platforms.)
How it will be delivered
Depending upon the number of signatures received, this petition will be delivered to the White House either electronically or in print.