Changes to Medicaid and SNAP

Significant changes to Medicaid will continue in 2026 and beyond due to the Republican cuts from Donald Trump, Mike DeWine, Congress, and the Ohio Statehouse. 

Implementation Dates

  • June 2026: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) are expected to release final rules about the operational structure states must follow for new Medicaid requirements. The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) has a preliminary implementation model which may require significant adjustments once federal guidelines are released.

  • October 1, 2026: Federal funding for the administration of the SNAP program will be reduced by 50%.

  • By December 31, 2026: Medicaid work requirements start for about 98,000 Cuyahoga County residents in Group VIII (i.e., those who were extended Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act including those ages 19-64 with income less than 138% of the Federal Poverty Level). Group VIII must work, study, or volunteer 80 hours/month.

  • By January 1, 2027: Retroactive eligibility for Medicaid is reduced to 1 month for Group VIII and 2 months for everyone else. 

  • By October 1, 2027: States will be responsible for up to 15% of SNAP benefit costs based on the statewide error rate (must be under 6% or state covers 5-15% of costs. For context, only six states had an error rate below 6% in FY2024, and Ohio’s was 9.01%).

  • By October 1, 2028: Co-pays up to $35 per service will be charged to Group VIII members with income more than 100% of the Federal Poverty Level. 

“Now is the time for Democratic Party leaders, including our elected officials, to fully embrace the moral clarity of healthcare and housing as human rights.”

- Justin Strekal

Important Stats:

  • There are 1,249,418 total residents in Cuyahoga County

  • Of them, 378,431 residents in Cuyahoga County are enrolled in Medicaid, just under one in three residents

    • More than half of Medicaid recipients are children

    • 1 in 5 are seniors  

    • 98,647 Medicaid recipients in Cuyahoga County are in Group VIII

  • 190,000 residents in Cuyahoga County receive SNAP benefits, or just under one in six residents.

    • 39% are children under 18

    • 14% are seniors 65 and older

    • 9% of SNAP recipients (or 17,000 residents) between the ages of 55-64 are now considered Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) who are subject to work requirements.

    • 8,000 parents with children aged 14 and up are now subject to work requirements. 

    • 30.5% of District 3 households receive SNAP benefits (self-reported)