General · Texas behavioral health news
Texas faces $2.1B spike in SNAP costs due to payment error rate. Officials say they can fix it - KXAN Austin
Texas HHSC (Google News) · July 28, 2026
In plain language
Texas officials estimate the state could owe up to $2.1 billion in the coming years for the SNAP food assistance program due to changes in federal law. These costs are linked to the state's payment error rate, which measures how often people receive the wrong amount of benefits. While Texas has a lower error rate than the national average, the state is working to improve accuracy by updating technology and training workers. Most errors are caused by caseworker mistakes or applicant confusion rather than intentional fraud.
AI-generated summary of the source article. Not medical advice.
Key takeaways
- Texas faces potential costs between $1.7 billion and $2.1 billion to cover SNAP program expenses by 2029.
- A new federal law requires states to pay a share of food benefits based on their payment error rates.
- Payment errors include overpayments and underpayments caused by caseworker mistakes or applicant errors, not just fraud.
- Texas currently has a 9.34% payment error rate, which is lower than the national average.
- The state is requesting federal permission to automate more of the application process to improve accuracy.
- SNAP applications have increased by 20% since 2019 while the workforce has remained about the same size.
Texas faces $2.1B spike in SNAP costs due to payment error rate. Officials say they can fix it KXAN Austin
Need to talk to someone in Texas? Browse Texas-licensed telehealth therapists. In crisis, call or text 988.