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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 144 Payments made by someone outside the household Payments not court-ordered (i.e. voluntary) Alimony, spousal support or property settlements The deduction is based on the amount of legally obligated child support the household pays or expects to pay during the certification period. Do not allow more than the legally obligated amount unless the excess is toward a verified arrearage. Child support payments must be verified before providing the deduction. See Section 5.3.3, Verification of Child Support Payments. 12.6 Medical Deduction Households with members who are 60 or older or who meet the SNAP criteria for being disabled (see Table 25.1.a, Glossary of Terms, for SNAP’s definition of disabled) can qualify for a medical deduction. This deduction is equal to the total of all allowable monthly out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred by these qualifying members combined, minus $35. Only one medical deduction is allowed per household. Example Loretta, aged 72, and Jasmine, aged 68, live together. Loretta and Jasmine both pay $174 in medical insurance premiums. Loretta pays $5 monthly for a prescription, and Jasmine pays $10 monthly for a prescription. To determine the deduction amount: Add all the monthly expenses: $174 + $174 + $5 + $10 = $363 Subtract $35 from the total because only the monthly amount in excess of $35 can be deducted: $363 - $35 = $328 The household’s monthly medical deduction is $328.
An individual who, at the time of application, did not meet the SNAP criteria for a disabled person but later was determined eligible for SSI is eligible for a retroactive medical deduction. ESA will restore benefits back to the date of the SNAP application or the date of initial SSI eligibility, whichever is later. Medical expenses incurred by a household member who is younger than 60 and does not have a disability but receives disability benefits as a dependent of someone who is 60 or older or has a disability are not eligible for this deduction. Only the medical expenses of the household members who are 60 or older or have a disability are used to determine the medical deduction. The following medical expenses are allowable: Medical and dental care, including psychotherapy and rehabilitation services, provided by a licensed practitioner authorized by District law or a qualified health professional Return