BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Governor Maura Healey announced that SNAP benefits have been fully funded for Bay State residents at a press conference at the State House on Monday.
Speaking to the crowd the Governor announced the news in which she said, “As of this morning I’m happy to report that those SNAP benefits have been fully funded.”
Massachusetts residents began to receive delayed SNAP benefits over the weekend.
Governor Healey clarified that SNAP benefits are loaded back on the cards of the more than 1 million recipients in Massachusetts who receive the benefits.
“I can tell you that anybody who has been eligible to receive SNAP to date or who missed their payments last week, has received their SNAP benefits now,” she continued.
The Governor also told residents to spend their SNAP benefits even as President Trump threatens states to stop the payments.
“Go out and buy the food you need to feed your family,” said Gov. Healey.
During the press conference the Governor also discussed the rising costs of healthcare premiums and called upon Republicans in Congress to get back to work on the issue.
The Governor said that nothing has been done to prevent Bay State residents’ health care costs from increasing.
“We had people who were forced to go hungry, people who were laid off, we have planes that wouldn’t fly and now we have a situation where nothing has been done to prevent people’s health care costs from skyrocketing,” said Gov. Healey.
Governor Healey is putting the blame on Republicans who she says are refusing to extend the tax subsidies that help lower health care costs.
The Governor also laid out the numbers when it comes to the rising healthcare premium costs, that are already affecting residents who get their health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector.
“A 62-year-old couple living in Peabody who earns $85,000 a year, currently pays $900 a month in health care premiums, they will now have to pay nearly $2,100 a month,” said Gov. Healey.
Healey called upon President Trump to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credit in an effort to prevent these major increases.
“We have people in Massachusetts set to see their health care premiums go up by as much as $25,000 in a single year,” said Gov. Healey.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.