In 20 percent of cases, D.C. overpaid or underpaid benefits to SNAP recipients, according to USDA data, placing it among the worst-performing states or territories nationwide. USDA assesses a penalty if the payment error rate exceeds 6 percent, and a national performance standard, for two years in a row."" The Department of Human Services saw a 40 percent increase in demand for benefits during the pandemic, Zeilinger said. As of 2022, D.C. had the slowest processing rate for SNAP applications in the nation, though Zeilinger also described improvements the agency has made since last year in timeliness. DC believes a 20% error rate in processing SNAP benefits is acceptable.

Source: Washington Post July 02, 2024 23:30 UTC