The department announced that it will seek a federal waiver to prohibit so-called junk food purchases within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The move by the department follows several failed efforts to seek the waiver through legislation, including a bill that died in the Legislature this year. This time DHHS will pursue the change through rulemaking.
DHHS said Maine spent more than $115 million in medical claims related to obesity in its Medicaid program, and 88 percent of Medicaid recipients receive SNAP benefits. DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew said Monday that poor food choices lead to chronic health problems and “perpetuate a cycle of continued spending for health care services.”
