Largely due to overpayments, Massachusetts registered a 12.5% error rate for SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2025, which could put the state on the hook to cover more of the cost of the federal food and nutrition assistance program.
The error rate exceeded the national rate of 10.6% as well as the 6% threshold that Congress approved as part of a law intended to force states to be more vigilant about oversight. Error rates measure how accurately state agencies determine household eligibility and benefit amounts.
States with error rates at or above the 6% threshold will be responsible for covering 5%, 10% or 15% of their state’s benefits as soon as Oct. 1, 2027, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. States may choose either their fiscal 2025 or fiscal 2026 rates to determine required benefit matches if error rates exceed 6%.
MassBudget Reference
Advocates said the staffing reduction could undermine both program administration and efforts to improve SNAP payment accuracy.
“Instead of cutting, the state should be increasing this funding and adding even more DTA caseworkers,” MassBudget said in a statement Wednesday. “Failing to address the shortage of caseworkers is also likely to have serious consequences for federal funding moving forward.”
As advocates argued that increased workloads, delays in processing applications and difficulty for clients reaching the agency by phone have contributed to payment errors, they said additional staffing — not a reduction — is needed to bring the state’s error rate down.
