ProPublica seeks ground-level insights on SNAP and Medicaid administration
The outlet is investigating electronic benefit transfer theft, work requirements, and federal cost-sharing changes ahead of reported legislative updates.
ProPublica is requesting detailed input from current and former state, local, and federal officials involved in administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid benefits. The news organisation is seeking to understand how shifting federal priorities are affecting daily operations and agency preparations for the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The investigation focuses on specific operational challenges, including electronic benefit transfer (EBT) theft, the implementation of new work requirements, and alterations in federal cost-sharing arrangements between the government and states. Respondents are asked to provide details on how their agencies are preparing for these legislative changes and how routine work has been altered.
ProPublica aims to move beyond high-level policy analysis by gathering data from those on the ground. The outlet acknowledges that each community operates differently and cannot be present everywhere, necessitating direct input from eligibility workers, intake specialists, and human services administrators.
Reporters Eli Hager and Cassandra Garibay are managing the submissions. Interested parties can provide information through a brief online form, by emailing the newsroom, or via Signal. The outlet states that reporters read every response and may follow up with respondents as the reporting unfolds.
The call for submissions highlights the need for evidence-based reporting on how federal decisions shape everyday life across different communities. ProPublica is particularly interested in what officials feel the public should know about the current state of the safety net and any priorities that may have been pushed aside.
