Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of the Senate Ag Committee, released a statement on the payment error rate for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“While states faced many challenges ensuring access to SNAP during COVID and unwinding temporary pandemic flexibilities and benefits, the national error rate reported recently is unacceptable,” she says. “The SNAP payment error rate measures the accuracy of SNAP benefits paid and eligibility determinations by states, not fraud.”
She also says, in other words, it’s about accuracy and not fraud. “It’s critical that the program is accurate to protect program integrity and ensure people receive the assistance they need to put food on the table,” Stabenow adds. “SNAP is the foundation of the safety net for nearly 42 million Americans, providing about six dollars a day to help them buy food to feed their families.”
She also says SNAP quality control was strengthened in the 2018 Farm Bill.
