Government-administered benefit programs: missed opportunities to address poverty in the NICU

We sought to determine eligibility for and successful receipt of government benefit programs for families with infants hospitalized at a large and well-supported level IV NICU in Ohio.

The sample median annual household income was estimated to be $49 500 (190% of the federal poverty line for the sample median household size of 3); 70% of all families surveyed were estimated to be eligible for at least one benefit. Most families who were estimated eligible reported not receiving benefits (27% EITC, 73% WIC, 12% SNAP, 82% LIHEAP, 33% childcare vouchers).

Families with infants in the NICU are frequently eligible for government benefit programs but do not uniformly receive them. These benefits represent thousands of dollars in unrealized support for families. Barriers to receiving benefits include lack of awareness and difficulty completing applications. These barriers may grow given current government policy reform. Families express interest in additional help with accessing benefits.