Joint Oversight Roundtable on SNAP and Medicaid Work Requirements, October 29, 2026

On October 29, 2026, the Committee on Health (Chairperson Christina Henderson) and the Committee on Human Services (Chairperson Matt Freeman) held a joint public oversight roundtable to examine the District's implementation of federal SNAP work requirements (effective June 1, 2026) and preparation for Medicaid work requirements (effective January 1, 2027). The roundtable included opening statements, testimony from the Department of Employment Services Director, four panels of public witnesses, and closing testimony from Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and the Director of the Department of Human Services. Councilmembers Anita Bonds and Zachary Parker also participated.

Public Comments & Testimony

First Panel – Consumer and Advocacy Perspective

• Jacqueline Bowens (DC Hospital Association) expressed deep concern about coverage disruptions and described hospital outreach efforts, including a provider toolkit and a pilot to embed eligibility workers in hospitals.
• Clara Flora Luna Kunt (affected resident) testified that she submitted all required documentation for SNAP recertification but her case was not processed in time, resulting in a 20-day loss of food benefits. She emphasized the lack of confirmation receipts and clear communication from DHS.
• Hannah Eckner (Bread for the City) described problems with the five-page work requirement exemption screening form: it was not shared with advocates for input until after finalization, and its complexity leads to delays and errors. She cited cases where exemptions were not applied despite proper documentation. She also raised concerns about medical frailty determinations and the need to align definitions across states.
• Jessica Berger (Legal Aid DC) testified that SNAP participation has dropped by tens of thousands since HR1, partly due to misinformation and fear. She gave examples where DHS failed to use its own data to apply exemptions (e.g., a client over 80 asked to prove disability, and a parent not exempted despite caregiving duties). She urged targeted communication and earlier engagement with legal service providers.

Second Panel – Policy and Community Organizations

• Ruth Pollard (DC Primary Care Association) highlighted health centers' preparation, development of 30/60/90-day renewal reports to identify at-risk patients, and recommendations including clear timelines, presumptive eligibility, and continued patient engagement.
• Maria Mencelala (DC Fiscal Policy Institute) criticized DHS for lack of transparency and inconsistent data sharing with advocates. She noted that ESA meetings were canceled and data slides skipped, and recommended monthly meetings and a public dashboard with detailed metrics.
• LaMonica Jones (DC Hunger Solutions) described extensive outreach and pre-screening for SNAP, and noted that clients with disabilities are still asked to document work hours despite qualifying for exemptions. She urged better data sharing and simpler forms.
• Joseph Liu (Capital Area Food Bank) praised DHS for quickly establishing a SNAP volunteer program but noted only one referral so far. He pointed out that SNAP E&T providers are only reimbursed 40% of costs, which is insufficient to meet increased demand. He also stressed the need to align Medicaid and SNAP work requirements to reduce confusion.

Third Panel – Hospital and Legal Services

• Beverly Wheeler (DC Central Kitchen) testified as a SNAP E&T provider and volunteer host site. She reported only one referral for volunteer hours and noted that demand for their culinary program has not increased significantly. She expects rising need for emergency food as benefits are lost.
• Robin Griffin (Legal Counsel for the Elderly) described a major DCAS glitch that double-counted Social Security income for thousands of beneficiaries, leading to erroneous termination of Medicaid/Q&B coverage. It took months to resolve, and some are still awaiting reimbursement. She stressed that these systemic issues will be compounded by work requirements.
• Keith McCannon (AmeriHealth Caritas) outlined the MCO's aggressive outreach to potentially affected Medicaid enrollees, including reminder texts, calls, and provider notifications. He noted that approximately 43,000 of their 143,000 enrollees are in the expansion population subject to work requirements. They are launching a provider alert system and updating eligibility portals to flag affected patients.

Discussion Items

• SNAP Implementation and Data: DHS Director Pierre reported that as of October, 1,066 individuals lost SNAP benefits for noncompliance, and another 1,032 are at risk in November. Approximately 87% of SNAP customers are exempt or not subject to work requirements. The agency conducted over 900 robocalls, mailings, and 85 community sessions.
• Medicaid Preparations: Deputy Mayor Turnage presented DHCF's analysis: of 250,000 Medicaid enrollees, 75,000 are childless adults subject to work requirements. Using income data and preliminary medical frailty proxies, 55% (40,803) are expected to be compliant or exempt, leaving 33,000 who must meet the requirement or qualify for an exemption. He announced that the District submitted a hardship waiver on October 16 seeking to exempt Wards 7 and 8 due to high unemployment.
• Medical Frailty Definition: Turnage discussed the CMS interim final rule requiring states to prove that a condition "significantly impairs" the ability to work. He called it "wholly unreasonable" and noted that a federal court vacated that rule on the morning of the hearing. DHCF had planned to use a three-tier system; the court ruling may simplify the process.
• Workforce Capacity: DOES Director Morris Hughes testified that the agency offers 1,200–1,300 training slots, but served about 1,000 SNAP participants in FY26, of which 241 found employment. Project Empowerment placed 210 of 508 completers into jobs. She stated that additional resources ($2.5 million) would be needed to add 300 more slots. Councilmembers expressed concern that capacity falls far short of the number of people losing benefits.
• Data Sharing and Systems: An updated data sharing agreement between DOES and DHS/DHCF has been signed by DOES and is pending final signatures. It will allow automated verification of participation and wages. DHCF is working to integrate CRISP health data and using AI tools (OLI) to assist caseworkers. DCAS has implemented entity resolution and smart assist features to reduce errors.
• Call Center and Frontline Issues: Multiple witnesses described long wait times, conflicting information, and lack of confirmation receipts. DHS noted that applicants can now receive receipts when dropping off paper forms and that callback options exist, but acknowledged wait times average 15–17 minutes. The 68-page combined application remains a barrier.
• Coordination and Leadership: Councilmembers repeatedly asked for a "captain of the ship" across workforce programs. The Workforce Investment Council (WIC) was not permitted to participate. DOES Director Hughes argued that DOES has been leading workforce coordination behind the scenes. Councilmember Bonds emphasized the need for legislation to create a central coordinating body.

Key Outcomes

• Data Sharing Agreement: The interagency data sharing MOU has been signed by DOES and is under review by DHS and DHCF. It will allow automated verification of work requirement compliance.
• Waiver Request: DHCF submitted a hardship waiver for Wards 7 and 8 on October 16, 2026, seeking to exempt residents from Medicaid work requirements due to high unemployment. A decision is expected before the end of the year.
• Medical Frailty Court Ruling: A U.S. District Court vacated CMS's restrictive definition of medical frailty on the day of the hearing. DHCF will monitor appeals and may adjust its approach. The agency had planned to use diagnostic codes and a three-tier assessment; the ruling may allow simpler self-attestation.
• Outreach and Communication: DHS will continue monthly advocate meetings and improve data reporting. DHCF will engage stakeholders on medical frailty codes and will publish the code set by late November or early December.
• Capacity and Resources: Councilmembers directed agencies to provide updated data on training slot utilization, completion rates, and employment outcomes. The committees emphasized the need for budget requests to expand workforce capacity.
• Technology Improvements: DCAS will deploy new AI features (OLI) in November 2026 to reduce caseworker burden. DHCF is working to implement electronic health data sharing via CRISP in 2027.
• Record: The hearing record will remain open until November 12, 2026, for written testimony.