A new online tool makes it easier for Marylanders to determine whether they qualify for basic government services, such as food benefits and Medicaid, Gov. Wes Moore announced Friday.

Moore, a Democrat, called the platform an example of “bringing government to the people.” He made the announcement at the State House while accompanied by several of his Cabinet secretaries.

“Ensuring that Marylanders can get the supports that they need is one of the most sacred obligations that we have as public servants,” he said.

The screener, Moore said, removes hurdles between government services and the people who need them.

“You shouldn’t have to jump through a million government hoops to get the health coverage that you need,” he said.

The one-stop checker can be found on the state’s benefits enrollment portal and accessed by using any device with an internet connection. After answering some basic questions about their income, expenses, and household members, a citizen who hits submit will see a list of programs pop up. Eligible individuals can then apply for those services through a separate portal.

There are five programs on the portal: food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women Infants and Children, a program for pregnant women and women with children under age 5; Medicaid, emergency cash assistance and help with energy costs. The screener is now live.

Three state agencies collaborated on the project: the departments of Human Services, Health, and Information Technology.

The state tested the screener for three weeks before the rollout and, in that time, about 18,000 people tried it out, completing the survey in just under five minutes, Moore said.

“What’s amazing to me is this was not done before,” he said.

Moore said he found it “shocking” just how complicated it was for Marylanders to understand and receive their benefits, and that his administration is determined to ease the process.

The next step, Moore said, is to create a single online enrollment process for services. Right now, each benefit has its own application and approval process.

“The idea of a new government website might not be the sexiest announcement,” Moore said. “But it is; it’s really sexy, actually.”