Categorical-eligibility parameter lists omit receives_snap and receives_wic

[hua7450]

Summary

Parameter-driven categorical-eligibility lists reference the modeled benefit amount (snap, wic) but omit the reported-receipt inputs (receives_snap, receives_wic). Formulas that hardcode the check consistently OR the two arms; the parameter lists do not. Households that report receiving SNAP or WIC but whose modeled amount is $0 are therefore dropped from categorical eligibility in those programs.

Mechanism

• receives_snap (variables/gov/usda/snap/receives_snap.py) is a bare input: bool, SPMUnit, MONTH, no formula — "reported to receive SNAP".
• snap (variables/gov/usda/snap/snap.py) is the modeled allotment, defined_for = "takes_up_snap_if_eligible".
• Same split for WIC: receives_wic is a bare input (bool, Person, MONTH); wic is defined_for = "takes_up_wic_if_eligible".

So snap == 0 / wic == 0 for a reporting household whenever the takeup draw is negative, income lands just over the limit, or member composition makes it ineligible. Formulas like is_head_start_categorically_eligible.py:26-31, meets_wic_categorical_eligibility.py:16-17, and medicaid_community_engagement_pass_through_eligible.py:31-32 handle this by ORing snap > 0 with receives_snap. The parameter lists carry only the amount variable.

Precedent for putting a receipt flag in a parameter list already exists: receives_medicaid appears in parameters/gov/aca/qualifying_non_marketplace_health_coverage.yaml:6 and parameters/gov/hhs/chip/disqualifying_health_coverage.yaml:7.

Lists needing receives_snap

File	Line	Consumer	Aggregation
parameters/gov/usda/school_meals/categorical_eligibility.yaml	5	meets_school_meal_categorical_eligibility	adds =, SPMUnit
parameters/gov/fcc/lifeline/categorical_eligibility.yaml	5	is_lifeline_eligible, is_acp_eligible	add(spm_unit, ...)
parameters/gov/states/ma/dot/mbta/income_eligible_reduced_fares/applicable_programs.yaml	6	ma_mbta_enrolled_in_applicable_programs	adds =
parameters/gov/states/ca/cpuc/care/eligibility/categorical.yaml	6	ca_care_categorically_eligible	add(household, ...) > 0
parameters/gov/states/tx/dart/qualifying_programs.yaml	8	tx_dart_reduced_fare_program_eligible	adds =, Person
parameters/gov/ed/pell_grant/efc/simplified/benefits.yaml	4	pell_grant_simplified_formula_applies	add(tax_unit, ...) > 0

Lists needing receives_wic

File	Line	Consumer	Aggregation
parameters/gov/fcc/acp/categorical_eligibility.yaml	11	is_acp_eligible	add(spm_unit, period, [program])
parameters/gov/states/ca/cpuc/care/eligibility/categorical.yaml	5	ca_care_categorically_eligible	add(household, ...) > 0
parameters/gov/states/tx/dart/qualifying_programs.yaml	7	tx_dart_reduced_fare_program_eligible	adds =, Person
parameters/gov/ed/pell_grant/efc/simplified/benefits.yaml	7	pell_grant_simplified_formula_applies	add(tax_unit, ...) > 0

Entity aggregation was checked for each: receives_wic is Person-entity and every consumer aggregates person → SPMUnit / Household / TaxUnit, so the sums compose correctly. All consumers are YEAR-defined while both receipt flags are MONTH, so add over a year sums up to 12 monthly bools; every consumer either thresholds with > 0 or casts into a bool variable, so the result is correct in all cases.

The tx_dart_reduced_fare_program_eligible.py docstring already describes the list as "(SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, TANF, WIC, etc.)", indicating receipt was the intent.

Out of scope — do not change

These lists sum dollars, so adding a bool would contribute $1 of phantom income:

• parameters/gov/states/ca/cpuc/income_sources.yaml:31-32 (SNAP and WIC as counted income for CARE/FERA)
• parameters/gov/local/ca/la/dwp/ez_save/income_sources.yaml:20 (SNAP)
• parameters/gov/states/ma/tax/income/credits/senior_circuit_breaker/income/disallowed_deductions.yaml:8,12 (consumed by ma_scb_total_income)

Reporting aggregates (gov/household/household_benefits.yaml, cbo_means_tested_transfers.yaml, spm_unit_benefits.py) are also out of scope — traced their consumers and no program income test reads them.

Impact

Adding the receipt arm expands categorical eligibility counts in microsimulation for school meals, Lifeline/ACP, CA CARE, MA MBTA, TX DART, and the Pell simplified-EFC formula. Partner contract tests under tests/policy/baseline/partners/** may move; any change to those expected outputs needs partner sign-off before it lands.

Tasks

• Add receives_snap to the six lists above
• Add receives_wic to the four lists above
• YAML tests covering the reported-receipt-with-$0-modeled-amount case for each affected program
• Assess microsim impact and check whether partner contract tests move