Is Relief on the Way for Texans Needing Food Assistance?

The importance of effective and efficient public services has taken on renewed interest; and this year in Texas, there’s a golden opportunity for state legislators to make big improvements to a program that tens of thousands of Texans rely upon.

Texas’ dilapidated system for processing applications for services funded by Medicaid, such as food for many older adults and healthcare for children, needs urgent repair. Thankfully, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and various health advocates are aligned on a solution that lawmakers can enact this legislative session.

Widely apparent is the need for a drastic overhaul of the state’s complicated 20-year-old computer system, known as the Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System, or TIERS. Making that happen will require the Legislature’s backing of a $300 million HHSC ask, formally known at the State Capitol as “Exceptional Item #2.” If the Texas Legislature signs off on the money, HHSC is prepared to hire 1,000 new workers and conduct upgrades to old computer systems.

Kathy Green, AARP Texas’ state-federal strategy director and an expert on food-policy matters, says there should be plenty of room in the next state budget to make the fixes.

The Texas Legislature’s biennial 140-day lawmaking session got underway Jan. 14 with news from the state comptroller that Texas will end its current two-year budget with a surplus of nearly $24 billion. Additionally, the state’s rainy-day fund is projected to be filled to $28.5 billion by the end of the next state budget in August 2027.

Green said AARP Texas, which fights for the needs of older Texans and their families, joins other advocacy groups in applauding HHSC leaders for recognizing an overdue need to process food and health applications better and faster.

“It’s reassuring that HHSC leadership sees that a proper investment is needed to correct severe inadequacies in a system that’s dearly important to the lives and livelihoods of many Texas families and older persons,” said Green.

Federal rules require food stamp applications be reviewed within 30 days and Medicaid applicants within 45 days. Since 2019, Texas hasn’t come anywhere close to meeting this standard. As of Dec. 5, the state was taking 59 days to process applications, an improvement from 71 days as of Nov. 22, according to reporting by The Texas Tribune.

Green says the services the Medicaid-application system processes are “vital to older persons on fixed incomes and many families in their times of need.” She also said food insecurity exacerbates many of the unique health, economic, mobility and nutritional challenges that can come with aging.

In Texas, 551,600 older adults (age 50-59) face hunger, which equates to a food insecurity rate of 15.4 percent (or 1 in 6), according to data from Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, food pantries and local meal programs, including numerous food providers in Texas.

Texas last year ranked No. 1 in hunger among older adults, according to Feeding America. The organization also said 546,800 Texans age 60 and older – or what they labeled as “seniors,” face hunger, which equates to a food insecurity rate of 9.8 percent (or 1 in 10) in that age group. That is up from 8.5 percent in 2021 and put Texas third (behind California and Florida) for the number of seniors experiencing food insecurity.

Together, in 2024, nearly 1.1 million “older” and “senior” adults in Texas were experiencing food insecurity, according to the group, putting Texas second in the nation (behind California) for hunger among adults 50 and older. More than 22 percent of the 5 million people facing hunger in Texas are adults 50 and older.

Food insecurity problems, Green said, are especially profound for those with physical disabilities. Food insecure persons, she said, often struggle to cover essential expenses like housing, healthcare, utilities, and groceries. Proper nutrition is crucial for their health, as older adults face higher risks of chronic diseases. A nutritious diet is vital for both preventing and managing these conditions.

In Texas, TIERS helps to determine persons eligibility for, among other programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and its dedicated Senior Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). SNAP provides benefits to many via a Lone Star Card, which allows recipients the flexibility to choose groceries that meet their dietary needs and lifestyle.

Many older adults don’t realize they might be eligible for SNAP benefits, even if they also receive Social Security benefits.

For more information, contact Kathy Green at kgreen@aarp.org or 512.480.2426 or Mark Hollis at mhollis@aarp.org or 512.574.3739.