State Creates Common Application for MassHealth, Food Benefits
BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced last week that residents can now easily initiate a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application when applying for or renewing their MassHealth benefits online. This option will improve customer experience by streamlining the process to apply for SNAP benefits while residents are already submitting information needed to determine their healthcare eligibility benefits.
“The administration, in partnership with community and healthcare organizations and the Legislature, is committed to ensuring that Massachusetts residents have equitable, timely, and efficient access to health, economic, and food-security benefits,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said. “This initiative is another vital step to integrating and modernizing access to public benefit programs and ensuring there is no wrong door for residents to access assistance.”
Through this option, when members opt in through the application or renewal process, MassHealth will securely transmit applicant information to the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) to initiate a resident’s SNAP application. DTA will then reach out to the individual to capture any additional required information needed to complete the SNAP application. This streamlined process will create an opportunity to reduce the gap between those on MassHealth and those potentially eligible for SNAP (known as the ‘SNAP gap’) among current MassHealth members.
“MassHealth is dedicated to ensuring our members receive all the benefits they qualify for and is working to ensure that the process for accessing these benefits is streamlined,” said Amanda Cassel Kraft, assistant secretary for MassHealth.
Mary Sheehan, acting commissioner of the Department of Transitional Assistance, added that “the administration has maximized all federal flexibilities and invested in IT changes to make it easier than ever to apply for SNAP. This new option will continue to improve the customer-service experience by simplifying the process to apply for these critical food benefits.”