Last year, the SNAP program faced a $10 billion overpayment issue, with a significant error rate of nearly 12%, prompting calls for improved oversight and accountability from federal and state officials.
SNAP Program Faces $10 Billion Overpayment Issue, Varies Widely Across States
According to the article in The Washington Times, last year, the government’s food stamp program, SNAP, made a huge mistake by overpaying more than $10 billion. An audit found that over 10% of the money given out was too much, and another 1.6% was too little, making the total error rate nearly 12%. Leaders like House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glen Thompson and Sen. John Boozman criticized these errors, saying the pandemic shouldn’t excuse such high mistakes anymore.
Different states had big differences in how well they managed their SNAP payments. Alaska had a very high overpayment rate of 60%, while states like Vermont, South Dakota, and Idaho kept their rates below 3%. The Biden administration blamed the states for these problems but said they needed to fix them fast to avoid penalties.
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$10 Billion in Overpayments: SNAP Error Rate Hits 12% – Sparking Calls for Improved Oversight! (PHOTO: Tododisca)
Call for Action – Addressing High SNAP Overpayment Rates and Ensuring Program Integrity
Cindy Long, who leads the Food and Nutrition Service, warned that states with the worst records must come up with plans to fix their mistakes or face consequences. Republicans argued that the federal government needs to do more to stop this waste. The current overpayment rate is the highest since 2003, showing a serious problem that needs quick action to make sure SNAP helps people who need it.
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