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1084 Chapter 7:Worker guides • Section 2: SNAP worker guides (07/2026) ONE. • Effective date for monthly reporting cases: Continue to process the monthly report as normal. No additional notices are required. Factors to consider when a person reports a change in a cost: SNAP individuals are not required to report a change in the amount of deductions, if there is not another change (such as a move). However, if a individual does report a change (e.g., increase in medical deductions or decrease in rent amount), the change must be acted on as quickly as possible. An increase in the deduction may result in more SNAP benefits. A decrease in a deduction may result in fewer SNAP benefits. SNAP medical deductions At initial application and at each recertification, use a reasonable estimate of the individual’s anticipated medical expenses for the certification period. The estimate should be based on current medical expenses (including any medical insurance premiums) and any anticipated expenses based on the individual’s medical history. Verify the costs and code the anticipated or averaged monthly medical expenses in ONE. If the individual incurs and reports medical expenses that were not anticipated at initial application or recertification, these expenses may also be used in determining the individual’s SNAP medical deduction. The individual can choose to use the full expense in the month after it is billed or becomes due, or to have the expense averaged over the remainder of the certification period. Medical expenses should be averaged if averaging would be beneficial to the individual. Paid medical expenses can be averaged, beginning with the month after the expense is paid (as long as the expense was paid in the month it became due). Unpaid medical expenses can be averaged beginning with the month after the expense is billed to the individual. Caution: Changes in medical costs reported during the middle of a certification period can only be used to adjust the next month’s benefits. Do not act on reported changes retroactively back to the first of the month. If the case is in SRS, act on a reduction in medical costs during the certification period only when a one-time cost is used to increase benefits for just one month. Partially paid SNAP medical expenses that were not anticipated. Facts: Bob is eligible for SNAP benefits from January through December. He is 70 years old and receives $700 per month in Social Security benefits. He also gets Medicare. His Medicare premium payment is $88.50 per month. His Medicare Part D cost is $22.50 a month. Other than his Medicare premium, Bob anticipates no medical expenses for the certification period. He chooses not to apply for QMB-BAS. His medical deduction at certification would be $111 = ($88.50 + $22.50) Situation: In March, Bob tells his worker that he has just started an allergy treatment program. It will cost him $300 after Medicare pays 80 percent of the total cost. Bob pays $200 in March and still owes $100, for which he agrees to pay $20 each month beginning in April. Bob tells his worker to average the $200 he paid in March over the remaining months of his certification period. His March benefits cannot be supplemented to reflect the extra medical expense. The $200 expense is averaged from April through December (nine months) and added to Bob’s medical deduction for those months.