A new Republican budget proposal would require millions of Americans up to age 64 to work in order to keep receiving food stamps and Medicaid. The plan, which recently passed the House of Representatives, aims to tighten existing rules and expand work requirements for people who rely on these government programs.
Currently, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, requires able-bodied adults without dependents to work up to age 54.
The GOP bill would raise that age to 64, meaning adults up to that age would need to prove they are working, volunteering, or enrolled in education to keep their benefits. The plan also adds similar work requirements for Medicaid, the public health insurance program for low-income Americans.
Supporters of the proposal, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, say these changes are “common sense” and will encourage more people to find jobs, reduce waste, and protect benefits for those who need them most. According to a 2023 poll, about two-thirds of Americans support work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid.
However, research shows that work requirements often lead to people losing benefits—not because they found jobs, but because of paperwork problems, trouble finding enough work, or health issues.
For example, a study in Virginia found that SNAP enrollment dropped by half after work requirements were added, but there was no real increase in employment or earnings.
If the GOP plan becomes law, about 18.5 million Medicaid recipients—one in four enrollees—would have to meet the new work rules. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that almost 5 million people could lose their health insurance as a result.
States would be allowed to deny coverage to people who can’t prove they’ve already worked, volunteered, or attended school for at least 80 hours a month.
Some states have tried similar rules before. In Arkansas, about 18,000 people lost Medicaid coverage in the first four months after work requirements started. Many delayed medical care or stopped taking medicine because they couldn’t afford it. The policy did not lead to more people finding jobs.
Experts are especially worried about older adults, who may face age discrimination, health problems, or caregiving duties that make it hard to work. Raising the work requirement age for SNAP from 54 to 64 could put about 1 million older Americans at risk of losing food assistance.
Advocacy groups like AARP argue that these new requirements would make it harder for people to keep their health care and food benefits, not because they are ineligible, but because they missed a deadline or struggled with paperwork.
The debate over these changes continues as the Senate considers its own version of the bill. For now, many Americans who rely on Medicaid and food stamps are watching closely to see what happens next.
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