But in some states, failing to open your mail and quickly respond can cost you Medicaid coverage or food assistance. And she learned her Medicaid benefits had lapsed just before her daughter was scheduled for lung surgery. That means the poor face more of these burdens in general while also having less mental bandwidth to devote to them. The types of federal programs that benefit higher-income people, on the other hand, tend to require less paperwork and expertise. And one clever study in California suggested that people are often bumped from the state’s food stamp rolls because they stumble over barriers to prove their continuing eligibility.

Source: New York Times January 28, 2020 09:56 UTC