Means-Tested Programs: Determining Financial Eligibility is Cumbersome and Can Be Simplified

Over time, the Congress has established about 80 separate programs to provide cash and noncash assistance to low-income individuals and families. Means-tested programs are restricted to families or Individuals who meet specified financial requirements and certain other eligibility criteria established for each program. The financial requirements restrict eligibility to families and individuals whose income falls below defined levels, and in some cases, whose assets-such as bank accounts and the value of automobiles-also fall below defined levels. Nonfinancial requirements restrict eligibility to specified categories of beneficiaries, such as pregnant women, children, or individuals with disabilities.