How to check health and food assistance eligibility for refugee resettlement workers in 2026

Q: Is Benefit Buddy free to use for checking a client's benefits?

Finding benefits is free for everyone, signed in or not. A paid Plus tier costs $4.99 a month. You can also try a shared demo account without signing in, and it resets every day.

A step by step way for refugee resettlement workers to check the health and food benefits a client may qualify for, and what to gather first.

By CleverDings · 2026-10-28

CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.

Begin by gathering a client's basic facts and documents, write down household and income, check programs one by one, and note what is missing for each. A screening tool such as Benefit Buddy can list programs and the step in the way. The agency still decides.

Option	What it does	Cost
Benefit Buddy	Checks government help, your state's own programs, and perks in your health plan, insurance, cards and job against your household. ^[1] Covers programs like SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and WIC, plus your state's versions under their own names. ^[1]	Finding benefits is free; Plus costs $4.99 a month. ^[1]
State benefits website	Not published here; check which programs it screens for before you apply.	Not published
Local resettlement agency	Not published here; ask whether it offers free benefits help or counseling.	Not published
Client's health plan	Not published here; call the number on the card and ask what extras are included.	Not published

What you need before you start

Most of the work is gathering facts. Having them in one place saves you from asking your client the same question several times.

Who lives in the home. The client's age, who else lives there, and their state and county.
Income. Monthly amounts from work, cash assistance, and any rent or interest. Recent tax returns, W-2 forms, 1099 forms or IRS transcripts show this.
Savings and property. Bank balances and whether the client owns the home. Some programs ask about these and some do not.
Health coverage. Medicaid cards or other insurance, and the program name and the issuing state.
Arrival and case facts. Which refugee program the client is under, their arrival date, and any case reference numbers, since these can be asked on applications.
Permission. The client should agree to you looking into this. Some agencies will only talk to you if the client is present or has signed a release.

Do not copy full Social Security or account numbers into notes or chats. Keep them on paper or with the agency.

Step by step

Write a short household summary. A few sentences: ages, who lives where, income sources, health needs, and the state. You will reuse it for every tool and call.
List the program types. Think in groups: food help, health coverage, help paying for medicines, home energy bills, and housing. Add others as the client's situation shows.
Find your state's names for each program. Federal programs often go by a different name in each state, so search with the state name and the program.
Screen before you apply. Use a screening tool or your state benefits site to see which programs look likely. A screening result is a hint, not a decision.
Note what is in the way. For each program, write down whether the client seems to qualify, what step is missing, or which question would settle it. Common blockers are an income figure you have not confirmed, a missing document, or an enrollment window.
Check the perks already paid for. Look at the client's health plan, insurance, credit cards and memberships. Some include extras that go unused.
Apply through the agency itself. Use the official application, or ask a local resettlement agency or benefits counselor to sit with you and the client.
Keep a checklist. Track what was applied for, on what date, who you spoke to, and when to follow up. Mark benefits that are not wanted so they stop cluttering the list.
Recheck as things change. Income, health, address and rules change, and so do deadlines.

Tools that can do it

Several kinds of help fit this job. Pick based on how much typing you want to do and whether you also want to talk to a person.

Your state's benefits website. It is where applications are filed. Check whether it has a screening step before the application, and which programs it covers.

A local resettlement agency. Resettlement agencies often have staff who know the programs clients can use. Check whether they offer free benefits help and whether appointments are needed.

The client's health plan. Call the number on the card and ask what extras the plan includes. Ask for the extras to be listed in writing.

Benefit Buddy. You tell Benefit Buddy about the household in a few sentences and answer a few questions. ^[1] It covers programs like SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and WIC, plus your state's versions under their own names. ^[1] For each benefit it says whether you qualify, what step is in the way, or which question would settle it. ^[1] It also lists perks you may already have through the health plan, insurance, cards and job. ^[1] Instead of typing, you can add a document such as a tax return, W-2, 1099, IRS transcript or DD-214. ^[1] You can tick benefits off as you use them or dismiss ones you don't want. ^[1] Your AI assistant, such as Claude, can use Benefit Buddy to walk through your questions. ^[1] The app is made for the web and phones. ^[1] Finding benefits is free for everyone, signed in or not. ^[1] You can also try a shared demo account without signing in, and it resets every day. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Starting with forms. Gather income and coverage facts first. Half-finished applications waste time and can confuse the agency.
Treating a screening result as approval. Only the agency decides. Use results to decide what to apply for and what to ask.
Skipping your state's version of a program. The federal name may not be the name on the state site.
Guessing at income. Use a document, not memory, and check whether the program counts gross or net income.
Forgetting perks already owned. Health plans, insurance and memberships may include extras that nobody has used.
Missing deadlines. Write down enrollment windows and disaster sign-up dates the day you find them.
Leaving the client out. Agencies often need the client's consent, and the client knows details you may not.
Not keeping records. Note dates, names and reference numbers for every call and application.

Frequently asked questions

Where should a resettlement worker start when checking benefits for a client?

Start with a short summary of the household: ages, state, who lives at home, income sources and health coverage. Gather recent income documents and insurance cards. With that in hand, screen for likely programs, note what is missing for each, and then apply through the agency itself.

What documents does a resettlement worker need to check a client's benefits?

Useful documents include recent tax returns, W-2 or 1099 forms, IRS transcripts, and Medicaid or other insurance cards. Arrival and case details can also be asked. Keep full Social Security numbers on paper or with the agency, not in casual notes. In Benefit Buddy you can add a document such as a tax return, W-2, 1099, IRS transcript or DD-214 instead of writing. ^[1]

Does a screening tool say a client will be approved for a program?

No. A screening result is a hint about which programs to pursue. For each benefit, Benefit Buddy says whether you qualify, what step is in the way, or which question would settle it. ^[1] The agency still makes the decision when you apply.

Is Benefit Buddy free to use for checking a client's benefits?

Finding benefits is free for everyone, signed in or not. ^[1] A paid Plus tier costs $4.99 a month. ^[1] You can also try a shared demo account without signing in, and it resets every day. ^[1]

What perks can Benefit Buddy list for a client?

Benefit Buddy checks a household against perks already in the health plan, insurance, cards and job. ^[1] You can tick benefits off as you use them or dismiss ones you don't want. ^[1] Health plans, insurance and memberships may include extras that nobody has used, so asking the plan what is included is a useful follow up.

Finding benefits is free; Plus costs $4.99 a month. ^[1]

Try Benefit Buddy

Sources

Benefit Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)