OBBBA Impacts on SNAP, Medicaid Work Requirements, Student Aid For College Education, Immigration: Rep AOC Holds Virtual Town Hall
Editor’s note: Readers may remember our previous article with the presentation from New York’s organization assisting federal student loan borrowers free of charge, also organized and presented by Rep. AOC’s office. The representative also previously provided a helpful visual guide to who will be affected by the new bill and when. Below you will find the video for the virtual town hall, set to the time that the meeting began, as posted on YouTube:
Thank you for Joining Our Virtual Town Hall!
Thank you for joining the Office of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for our virtual town hall! Over 500 constituents joined us to hear about how to prepare for upcoming changes to health insurance, SNAP, and utilities bills due to Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
We appreciated every single community member who took the time to log on, ask important questions, and engage in a passionate dialogue about the needs of our community.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Impacts on Our Community and How You Can Prepare
***While these changes do not take effect until 2026, we want you to be prepared for and aware of changes that could affect your healthcare coverage. New York State will release more details closer to the implementation date. To stay updated on changes to your health care, you can sign up for alerts from the New York State Department of Health at info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/stay-connected.***
What can you do to prepare?
- Locate your nearest Community Health Center at bit.ly/NY14CHC
- Explore ACA Marketplace place plans through Healthcare.gov
- The open enrollment period, which is when you can purchase or change your health insurance, begins November 1st. Open enrollment ends January 15, 2026.
- Learn more about NYC Care at www.nyccare.nyc/
Impacts on SNAP and Food Assistance
What can you do to prepare?
- Find a food bank near you: feedingnys.org/need-food
- Check for updates at otda.ny.gov/programs/snap
Impacts on Immigration
What can you do to prepare?
- Proactively find legal help
- You can contact the New York State Office for New Americans Hotline to request a legal consultation at (800)-566-7636.
- Fill out a DHS Privacy Release ahead of ICE check in at https://www.ice.gov/file-download/download/public/80509
Impacts on Energy
The OBBBA will increase your energy bill. If you are having trouble affording your energy bill, you may be eligible for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which provides credits on your energy bill.
Enrollment is typically open November 1 through April 7. You can apply:
Online at access.nyc.gov or by mail – by sending a completed application to: NYC DSS/HRA/HEAP, PO Box 1401, Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008
Banner Image: Video screen shot. Image Credit – Rep. AOC
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In January of 2019, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez was sworn-in as the youngest woman and youngest Latina ever to serve in Congress. Her first piece of legislation was the Green New Deal resolution, which envisions a 10-year national mobilization, akin to FDR’s New Deal, that would put millions to work in good-paying, union jobs repairing the nation’s infrastructure, reducing air and water pollution, and fighting the intertwined economic, social, racial and climate crises crippling the country.