Federal SNAP changes expected to increase costs for Cook County

Cook County Public Health and Human Services is preparing for significant changes to the funding of government-provided financial assistance programs beginning this October.

The changes stem from H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law earlier this month.

PHHS Director Grace Grinager addressed the changes during her director’s report at the June board meeting. While some of the changes were discussed in presentations earlier this year, implementation details are becoming clearer as the rollout approaches.

During her report, Grinager focused on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP.

“‘It’s a challenging topic, just because there is a great amount of detail in it,” Grinager told WTIP. “I tried to stay focused, but also explain what’s happening.”

The law changes how SNAP benefits are calculated, the amount of benefits recipients receive, eligibility requirements and work requirements for some groups. It also shifts some program costs to state and local governments.

“That’s the piece that I really focused on in my board report,” Grinager said. “Because there is a financial impact to the county H.R. 1, and I wanted to make sure that our commissioners and also our community members know what that is and know how we’re planning to incorporate those costs in the budget.”

Two elements of the program that were previously funded by the federal government will now require county funding.

Previously, the federal government covered 50% of SNAP administrative costs. Beginning in October, that share will drop to 25%, leaving counties to make up the difference.

Starting the following year, counties also will be required to pay a portion of SNAP benefit costs. The amount a county pays will be based on Minnesota’s payment error rate.

“It’s not actually tied to what our county payment error rate might be,” Grinager said.

A payment error rate refers to benefits that are calculated incorrectly for program participants. The error may involve either an underpayment or overpayment and can result from administrative mistakes or inaccurate information provided by applicants. Even if an error is later corrected, it still counts toward the state’s payment error rate. Under the law, counties could be responsible for up to 15% of benefit costs.

“We’re still working on exactly what the numbers will look like, but we are building these numbers into our budget as we plan for next year,” Grinager said. “This isn’t something that we get to decide, this is something that the federal government decided on our behalf, and we simply have to absorb into our budget as we plan for next year.”

According to the USDA, Minnesota’s 2025 payment error rate was 12.58%.

Grinager said about 215 people in Cook County receive SNAP benefits, averaging about $6 per day.

“Studies they’ve done on the SNAP program nationally show that every dollar spent from SNAP benefits generates about $1.50 in local economic activity,” Grinager said. “That’s due to increased purchasing at local grocery stores, convenience stores, places that accept SNAP benefits.”

WTIP spoke with Grinager about SNAP benefits, PHHS restructuring and other topics from her director’s report. Audio of that conversation can be found below.

Josh Hinke July 1, 2026