Legal Aid Justice Center is monitoring new and proposed changes to eligibility and privacy rules in Virginia and federally. As of July 2025, the US Congress has passed several changes to public benefits eligibility.
We recommend working with an assister to complete SNAP and Medicaid applications. An assister can help ensure that your application is accurate, answer questions that you have about enrolling in the program, and coordinate with the Department of Social Services to ensure that your application is processed correctly.
For assistance with Medicaid applications, contact any of our offices if you live within our service area. If you live outside of our service area, please contact EnrollVA: 888-392-5132.
Frequently asked questions
Non-citizen Access to PUBLIC BENEFITS
I have Medicaid/FAMIS coverage – do I need to terminate the coverage?
- You do not need to terminate your coverage so long as at the time of your application, you were properly enrolled in coverage. Congress recently passed changes to Medicaid/FAMIS eligibility rules. If you or anyone in your household is no longer eligible for these benefits, you should receive a notice from the Department of Social Services explaining the decision, the effective date, and why coverage is ending. If you have any questions about these notices or disagree with a notice that you receive, visit our Get Help page to find contact information for all LAJC offices.
I don’t qualify for Medicaid/FAMIS coverage, but my children are U.S. citizens and are covered – do I need to terminate their coverage?
- As of July 9, 2025, US citizens remain eligible for coverage under the Medicaid/FAMIS eligibility rules that existed before January 2025. If your US Citizen child was eligible then, they remain eligible now and you do not need to terminate their coverage. If your child or other US Citizen household member’s coverage is terminated, please contact one of our offices right away.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) has all of my information – will they give it to other government agencies?
- Several executive orders and changes to law/policy have changed how the state shares personal information with the federal government. Although it is not guaranteed that your information will be shared with the federal government, you should assume that it is possible that it will be shared. There are rules that information can only be shared to further improvements in the program (such as making applications more efficient), but if information is shared or used improperly, it may take time to realize it was improperly used and there may be no or limited ways to correct the improper use. .
- The federal government has asked states to share all personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, addresses, and social security numbers for all SNAP applicants and beneficiaries from January 2020 to present day. This sharing is currently being contested in a lawsuit. For now, the data sharing is on hold. Virginia has stated that it will comply with the federal government’s request if or when it is allowed to do so. We expect data to be available for sharing in Fall 2025 pending the outcome of litigation proceedings.
Who is eligible for SNAP benefits?
After changes to SNAP eligibility enacted in July 2025, the updated SNAP eligibility rules are:
- Being low-income (typically 150% – 200% of the federal poverty level, or $4,018 monthly for a household of 4)
- Holding one of the following:
US citizenship
Lawful Permanent Residency for at least 5 years
Haitian or Cuban Entrant status
Eligibility for benefits under the Compact of Free Association
- Meeting a work requirement if:
- Aged 18-64 and you don’t meet an exemption.
Exemptions from the work requirement:
Children under 18
People medically certified as unable to work
People receiving disability benefits
People receiving Unemployment Benefits
Parents/caretakers for a child aged 14 or younger
Pregnant people
Certain American Indian groups
- Note that Congress’s July 2025 bill restricted noncitizen eligibility and applied work requirements to new groups. It is possible that a household previously eligible for benefits will no longer be eligible under the new rules.
If you believe you have lost benefits because of the rule changes, please contact any LAJC office.
Who is eligible for Medicaid/ FAMIS benefits?
After changes to Medicaid eligibility enacted in July 2025, the updated Medicaid eligibility rules are changing, but there are delays to when the changes will go into place.
To determine whether you are eligible for Medicaid/FAMIS benefits, contact any LAJC office to speak to a Health Insurance Navigator.