Background
Understanding the WIC Enrollment Gap
The WIC program aims to safeguard the health of income-eligible women, infants, and children up to age 5 by providing healthy foods, nutrition information, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and social services. Yet far too many families miss out — including many who are enrolled in Medicaid or SNAP, which makes them income-eligible for WIC.
How can data matching help close the WIC enrollment gap?
Data matching with other federal programs like Medicaid and SNAP is a tested strategy for connecting more eligible families to WIC. As of 2021, there were over 5.7 million WIC-eligible people nationwide who were enrolled in Medicaid and/or SNAP but not WIC, according to USDA estimates. These individuals are already income eligible for WIC and could also benefit from WIC’s proven health and nutrition benefits. These individuals account for most of the WIC enrollment gap.
By comparing (or "matching") WIC enrollment data with SNAP and Medicaid data, State agencies can find out who is in this gap, reach out, and help them enroll.
Recent studies by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and Benefits Data Trust have shown how data matching can help WIC State agencies measure the enrollment gap, identify key populations for targeted outreach, and simplify the WIC enrollment process. These studies also show that data matching and outreach — along with simplified enrollment processes — can help narrow the WIC enrollment gap.
Recent Reports
WIC Coordination With Medicaid and SNAP
More State WIC Programs Collaborating With Other Major Programs To Reach Additional Eligible Low-Income Families With Young Children
This report draws on information the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) collected from WIC state agencies during the summers of 2021 and 2022 and updated in the fall and winter of 2023-2024. The report describes several ways that WIC state agencies are collaborating with their state’s Medicaid and SNAP programs and shows a promising trend of increased collaboration between WIC and Medicaid, and WIC and SNAP.