Topic Archives

Defending Families Today, Building a Stronger System for Tomorrow In a year of rapid policy shifts, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities built a four-part strategy to blunt harmful policies, document real-time impacts on families and seize every opportunity for progress. From helping stop some of the most extreme cuts to food assistance to … Continued

Designing Medicaid Applications That Don’t Push People Off Coverage When Congress passed H.R. 1 and its new Medicaid work requirements, states faced a ticking clock. They had a limited window to implement the rules, and the choices they made—about forms, online systems, letters and verification steps—would determine whether millions of eligible people kept their coverage … Continued

Making Cash Policy Stick The idea that direct cash helps people isn’t new anymore. What’s new is that it’s becoming harder to undo. “Life transitions, like starting or growing a family, aging out of foster care, the aftermath of climate disaster, returning home after incarceration, or changing jobs are inherent moments of instability. Providing a … Continued

Building a System That Rewards Progress Imagine getting a raise at work—and ending up poorer because of it. That is the reality of the benefits cliff, a systemic flaw in America’s public safety net that punishes the very progress it is supposed to support. When an individual’s income rises even modestly, they can lose government … Continued