Federal Spending For Means-Tested Programs, 2007 To 2027

On February 15, 2017, the Congressional Budget Office released this report on federal spending and projected spending for means-tested programs for years 2007-2027. Means-tested programs provide cash payments or other forms of assistance to people with relatively low income or few assets. Examples of programs include Medicaid, insurance subsidies, SNAP, and Pell grants.

In January 2017, the Congressional Budget Office projected that if current laws generally remained unchanged, total mandatory spending (excluding offsetting receipts) would grow at an average annual rate of 5.5 percent over the coming decade, which is close to the 5.3 percent . . .