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Title 7: SNAP Page 42 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter E: Income Deductions Revised February 13, 2026 Medical Expenses of Elderly or Disabled… Standard Medical Deduction Legal reference: 7 CFR 273.9(d) Households choosing the standard medical deduction will receive a deduction of $175. To be eligible for the standard medical deduction:  At initial application, the household must verify that it has qualifying medical expenses in excess of $35 per month.  At recertification, the household must declare that it still has medical expenses in excess of $35 per month. Declaration is a verbal statement, or written statement on a desk RRED, and no further verification is required. Document the household’s statement in the case file. Although the standard medical deduction is not mandatory, households with qualifying medical expenses between $35.01 and $210 monthly are likely to choose the standard due to the ease of verification. Any household that chooses the standard and verifies $35.01 in monthly qualifying expenses will receive the $175 deduction. Households with medical expenses in excess of $210 have the option of verifying and claiming actual medical expenses or taking the standard deduction. It is important that households understand that the more deductions they have, the more benefits they will receive. However, some households may still choose the standard due to the ease of the verification process. Work with households to ensure that they receive the most beneficial medical expense deduction for their situation. Document in the case file the household’s choice of actual medical expenses or the standard medical deduction. This is especially important in cases where the standard is chosen even though verification of actual expenses would entitle the household to more benefits. Households may switch between using actual expenses or the standard medical deduction at any time. Although not required to report changes in medical expenses during the certification period, a household may report new medical expenses that would make them eligible for the standard or make the use of actual expenses more beneficial. When this happens, act on the changes.