The federal government shutdown has upended the lives of millions of Americans who rely on essential benefits disbursed by federal agencies. Principally among them is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which assists one in eight Americans who otherwise wouldn’t be able to put food on the table for themselves or their dependents. Now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that due to the shutdown, the well has “run dry,” and no benefits will be issued starting Nov. 1. As a result of Washington’s failure to reach an agreement on fiscal priorities, millions of SNAP recipients who typically receive food dollars on the first of the month at the reset of EBT payments will be left without assistance. And even more Americans will pay the price.
The lowest 20 percent of earners will feel the blow most acutely, as the loss of benefits devastates their ability to access nutritionally sound and affordable food options. When food access disappears, so does nutritional stability, triggering ripple effects across health, education and local communities. As families’ resources for healthy meals diminish, and as some go without food entirely, these changes have the potential to exacerbate food insecurity and deteriorate overall public health outcomes. Without swift intervention, the disruption could spiral into a national health crisis.
Few Americans grasp the magnitude of SNAP’s reach or the economic engine it fuels. Over 40 million people, who are integral to our national and local economies, workforces, and communities, rely on SNAP. Every dollar spent in SNAP generates roughly twice that amount in local economic activity. When those dollars vanish, corner stores, grocers, farmers’ markets and food distributors all feel the squeeze. Those losses flow upstream into job cuts, supply chain disruptions and reduced consumer spending, an economic domino that affects Americans across income brackets.
The health consequences are just as serious. When households can’t access food, preventable illnesses and chronic conditions often worsen. The result is a surge in emergency room visits, mental health crises and avoidable hospitalizations. Many Americans living below the poverty line already struggle to stay engaged with their physician, pharmacy and other healthcare providers, and without food, will have even less of a reason to prioritize things like medication adherence, chronic condition management or other self-care behaviors. This will not only lead to worsened health outcomes, but could also threaten to overrun hospitals and force ER staff to turn down patients in need. That strain will reverberate through an already overburdened healthcare system, exacerbating workforce shortages and driving up costs for everyone.
Public health experts estimate that inequities tied to food insecurity already contribute billions in avoidable medical spending and productivity losses each year. If the shutdown persists, those numbers will balloon. In a volatile economy where every sector is struggling to preserve stability, the loss of a cornerstone program like SNAP threatens to erode both pubic health and national productivity.
These Inequities also contribute to a broader economic drag: poor health outcomes significantly contribute to healthcare spending and lost Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which accounts for approximately 20 percent of the total cost of healthcare. Not only will this cost our healthcare system billions of dollars, but the crisis carries a human toll, costing individuals their dignity and many communities’ financial stability, as local grocers, farmers and other small businesses face collateral damage.
Whether you claim SNAP benefits or not, you will be impacted
The pressure on low-income Americans is compounded by additional changes to SNAP and Medicaid set in motion by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), passed in July, well before the government shutdown even began. The legislation stipulates that able-bodied, childless adults between 18 and 64 must work, attend school or perform at least 80 hours of community service per month to receive Medicaid and SNAP benefits. Although many people meet these requirements through their equivalent activity, the new processes that are both lengthy and tedious will disqualify millions from receiving benefits, as they lack the resources to understand, navigate and ensure compliance. While intended to encourage workforce participation, the policy’s complexity and documentation requirements are creating new administrative barriers that disproportionately affect those without stable access to transportation, childcare or digital tools.
When the shutdown finally comes to an end, the OBBBA will keep millions in bureaucratic limbo, perpetuating problems for those seeking not only food-related benefits but healthcare more broadly, again impacting the most vulnerable Americans. This type of legislation, which threatens to strip impoverished groups of their access to food resources, stands in direct opposition to the stated goals of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which calls for policies that make nutritious, unprocessed foods more accessible.
With the shutdown and the onset of OBBBA, SNAP will be in flux for many, forcing those with limited resources to stretch their dollars on cheaper, more processed and less nutritious foods, exactly the opposite of what MAHA aims to achieve. This disconnect, along with the administration’s failure to address the root causes, further underscores its inability to recognize the broader impact that neglecting this population has on all its constituents.
When the government shuts down, we must show up
Ultimately, it’s up to healthcare professionals, business leaders and the private sector to mobilize and step in where the public sector is falling short. Partnerships between food producers, health systems and nonprofits can sustain emergency distribution programs, while employers and insurers can invest in nutrition-support initiatives that reduce downstream costs. Millions of people are being left behind by SNAP cuts, and their well-being depends on our collective response. Communities that have long relied on federal support are now at a breaking point. If we allow communities to fall through the cracks, the damage won’t be confined to any one ZIP code. It will manifest in slower growth, sicker populations and a weakened economy. To preserve the health, dignity, and stability of our society, we need bold, sustainable and financially viable solutions that close these gaps once and for all.
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