Illinois SNAP Errors Could Result in Substantial Penalties
Illinois is at risk of incurring penalties of up to $700 million due to errors in determining eligibility for food assistance under a new federal law.
To safeguard taxpayers and support struggling families, the state must enhance its administrative accuracy.
Current Error Rate
The error rate for Illinois' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as reported by the Department of Agriculture, was 11.56% in 2024. This rate exceeds that of 38 other states and surpasses the national average.
Consequences of Errors
A 12% error rate could result in annual costs of $705 million for the state. Notably, while underpayments were rare (less than 1%), overpayments accounted for 10.6% of Illinois' SNAP errors in 2024.
Illinois’ comeback story starts here.
Following the lead of other states may provide a viable path forward for addressing these issues.
Author's summary: Illinois faces penalties due to SNAP errors.