Adding SNAP benefits for older adults in Medicare, Medicaid can reduce hospital visits, healthcare costs

Medical Xpress October 19, 2021
University of North Carolina Health Care

Food insecurity among older adults takes a toll on the nutrition and health of those affected. According to data from 2019, 5.2 million people age 60 and above in the U.S. were food insecure—equaling 7.1% of that population—and that number has likely grown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Older adults facing food insecurity are more likely to have chronic health conditions like depression, asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure and heart attack. Only 48% of older adults who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides benefits to supplement budgets to purchase healthy and nutritious foods, are enrolled in the program.

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows the importance of older adults taking advantage of this...

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