Author: David Martinez
The American federal financial assistance programs are created to help people in need by supporting activities that affect their lives. Examples of federal programs are student aid, transportation infrastructure, public housing, disaster relief, and medical research. Additional federal assistance programs include loan guarantees, insurance, and interest subsidies.
This section will be talking about updates on the American federal financial assistance programs. These updates include:
Recent Changes in Medicaid
Various updates have been made to Medicaid. However, the most significant update in the US is the introduction of a new program called the State Innovation Waiver.
This program allows states to design their own program requirements. The program requires individuals to meet specific criteria to be considered Medicaid compliant. The extension of the length of time parents can stay on Medicaid while their children are on the Children’s Health Insurance Program is an example of these changes.
Changes to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, also known as food stamps, is another major federal program. One of the upgrades to this program includes introducing a new program known as the “Harvest Box.” Food stuff will be given to SNAP beneficiaries instead of providing them with cash to purchase food on their own.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
The government created this program to assist low-income families in achieving independence. TANF recipients are frequently helped with food, childcare, housing, etc. Various states have been capacitated to set their SNAP criteria that every needy family must meet to be considered SNAP compliant.
All TANF enrollees must engage in a particular form of work outlined by their state under this program. Each state that administers the TANF program will have its inclusion criteria for beneficiaries. Furthermore, if you meet the requirements for TANF, you will not be denied other state benefits.
Changes in Education
The Department of Education (ED) has released its final draft of the “gainful employment rule”. The rule will safeguard students from career academic programs with high college loan debt and limited completion rates. If the university grads are unable to pay back their loans or receive sufficient income in their line of work, the ED will ignore their access to government student grants and loans.
Affordable Connectivity Program
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a United States federal program that assists many low-income families in paying for internet-connected devices and broadband services. Through this program, low-income families can get discounts of up to $75 on broadband services. Moreover, this program offers a one-time price break of up to $100 on new devices, including computers, tablets, and laptops. Each household is limited to one monthly service and one device discount. Users must register in the ACP with an authorized provider.
Final thoughts
Many Americans rely on the federal financial support programs of the United States. Updates are constantly made on these initiatives, so, it’s critical to stay updated on the latest developments. We hope this post has given you a better overview of the current state of these initiatives and how they can benefit you or somebody you know.