The safety net is tightening at every seam. The age for automatic exemption rises from 59 to 65, and only caregivers of children under 14 are spared. Homeless individuals, veterans, and former foster youth lose their automatic protections, forced into a system many are least equipped to navigate. As federal funding strains under an ongoing government shutdown, the threat is twofold: not just losing eligibility, but also facing delays and uncertainty even for those who still qualify.
