ANNAPOLIS, MD—Maryland has launched a new mobile-friendly tool to help residents see if they qualify for benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps, and energy assistance.

Governor Wes Moore announced the launch of Maryland’s Unified Benefits Screener on December 13, 2024. It’s a joint initiative between the Maryland Departments of Human Services, Health, and Information Technology.

Marylanders can quickly check their eligibility for Medicaid, SNAP, Emergency Assistance, WIC, and OHEP benefits using Maryland’s United Benefits Screener.

“Our administration is committed to sweating the details of governing and implementing common sense solutions that make life better for Marylanders,” said Gov. Wes Moore. “In partnership, we are helping more families access essential services and building a government that serves the people.”

You don’t need to provide any documentation or create an account to use the screener. It only asks for basic information like household size, income and expenses, and disability status.

The tool then tells you if you may qualify for certain benefits and encourages you to apply.

The state says the process takes about five minutes and can be done from any computer or smartphone.

“The Unified Benefits Screener is a testament to statewide partnership, engineering, and human-centered design,” said Maryland Department of Information Technology Secretary Katie Savage. “It’s a big step forward that will help us serve more Marylanders.”

“The Unified Benefits Screener is a simple idea that people shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get the help they need,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott. “Yet, time and again, we saw Marylanders, hardworking families, parents, and individuals getting caught in a system that felt overwhelming and complicated. That’s not how it should be. We are excited about the opportunity for customers to have a more comprehensive understanding of what benefits they are eligible for and readily apply.”

The new screener is part of the state’s efforts to create a single application that Marylanders can use to apply for all benefits, instead of applying for each one individually. That application is expected to be available in 2025.

“This work is only the latest in successful state and community-based partnerships we have modeled by intentionally listening to the people we have the honor of serving,” said Maryland Department of Human Services Rafael López.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.