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253 (07/2026) Chapter 2:Eligibility • Section 5: Financial eligibility Employment and independence expenses Employment and independence expenses (EIEs) are specific to the Employed Persons with Disabilities program. They are expenses that contribute to the person’s ability to work and enhance independence. Any expense that can reasonably be expected to enhance the individual’s independence and facilitate employment will be allowed as an EIE deduction. EIEs may include costs for vehicle modifications, assistive technologies and payments to approved accounts. Blind work expenses Blind work expenses (BWEs) are expenses incurred by blind individuals. These expenses facilitate employment and independence. They are very similar to IRWEs and EIES, except that the person must be blind in order for the costs to count as deductions. BWEs include costs that workers without disabilities must pay, such as taxes, union dues and payroll mandatory contributions (such as pensions and disability insurance). Deductions of expenses Many expenses may be used as a deduction within the SNAP program that may affect a household’s monthly SNAP allotment. SNAP The following expenses may be considered when determining the deductions within the SNAP program: Medical expenses To be eligible for a deduction for medical expenses, individuals must either meet the SNAP definition of “elderly” or “individual with disabilities.” Filing groups with more than $35 in allowable monthly medical expenses and less than $205.01 in medical expenses will receive a standard medical deduction (SMD) of $170 from their countable income. Filing groups with more than $205 in allowable monthly medical expenses will receive a deduction of the actual verified amount of their medical expenses, less $35. Medical deduction chart Filing groups with more than $35 in allowable medical expenses and less than $205.01 Filing groups with more than $205 in allowable medical expenses Standard medical deduction ($170) from their countable income Deduction of the actual verified amount of medical expenses minus $35 Allowable medical expenses A medical deduction is allowed for the expenses of services provided by, prescribed by or used under the direction of a licensed medical practitioner. Examples of allowable medical expenses include, but are not limited to: • Health insurance premiums, deductibles and coinsurance (includes Medicare premiums not covered by Medicaid and EPD participant fees)