September 8, 2025
On July 4, 2025, Donald Trump signed the cartoonishly-named “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBA) into law. This budget bill creates a massive regressive transfer of wealth through its harmful provisions – these provisions impose massive cuts to programs that benefit lower- and middle-income individuals in order to fund tax cuts to the wealthiest families and corporations.
Some of the harmful cuts from OBBA are already beginning and will soon be affecting individuals and families who depend on programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and subsidies in the ACA Marketplace. The harmful impacts of OBBA will take place over a period of months and years.
Thanks to OBBA, the largest cut in the history of SNAP – the food stamp program that millions of individuals and families depend on to meet their nutritional needs – began on Monday, September 1, 2025. It is estimated that 2.4 million households will lose their SNAP benefits all together. And it is estimated that households across the U.S. who retain their SNAP benefits will lose anywhere from $72 to $231 per month, compared to their current benefit level.
You can count on Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC) to provide you with the information you need, as these changes unfold and impact our community.
Many of these changes are starting to take place and will also have impacts on households as we head into Open Enrollment season for Medicare and the ACA Marketplace.
CCHCC is planning three Community Meetings for September and October – one to provide information on OBBA and the cuts that are coming; and two for Open Enrollments (Medicare and Marketplace).
Please mark your calendars and save these dates! And please note that all three of these Community Meetings will be held at the Champaign Public Library at 200 W. Green Street in Champaign.
Community Meeting on OBBA – Thursday, September 11 at 6 p.m. at the Champaign Public Library. This meeting will be open to the public. The purpose of the meeting will be to provide information about the OBBA budget bill passed by the Senate and the House, and signed into law on July 4, 2025. This budget bill slashes funding to many important health, food, and housing programs. We will provide information about the cuts to vital programs, why the cuts were made, when those cuts are expected to take effect, how they will impact our community, and what our community can do to mitigate the harmful impacts of these budget cuts.
Medicare Open Enrollment Meeting – Wednesday, October 15 at 10 a.m. at the Champaign Public Library. This meeting will be open to anyone who has Medicare or who will soon be eligible to start receiving Medicare. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and to schedule appointments with specialists to help them through the Open Enrollment process so they can choose an appropriate Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for themselves or their loved one.
Please note that Medicare Open Enrollment takes place from October 15 through December 7 for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans for 2026.
Marketplace Open Enrollment Meeting – Wednesday, October 29 at 7 p.m. at the Champaign Public Library. This meeting will be open to anyone who is seeking health insurance through the Marketplace or Medicaid. The State of Illinois will be operating its own Marketplace starting this fall, rather than continuing the partnership with the federal government for use of their Marketplace. We will explain the Open Enrollment process, options for financial assistance, and the difference between Marketplace and Medicaid plans.
Please note that Marketplace Open Enrollment takes place from November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Individuals experiencing major life changes, like a marriage or divorce, change in employment, birth of a child, etc. might qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and can enroll in a Marketplace plan outside of the Open Enrollment period. Medicaid enrollment is available year-round.
Unfortunately, OBBA has made cuts to the “premium tax credits” to Marketplace plans – these are the tax credits that help cut the costs of the monthly premiums to make the plans more affordable. We will discuss these changes at this meeting, and explain who will be affected.
Please note that Medicaid enrollment is open year-round. Unlike Medicare and the ACA’s Marketplace, there is no open enrollment period for Medicaid coverage. Medicaid is open year-round, so people can apply for Medicaid at any time in the year. CCHCC helps community members with these applications on a year-round basis. And if you are unsure whether you qualify for Medicaid, or a Marketplace plan with a subsidy, CCHCC can help you sort it out!
Please help spread the word to publicize these events!
CCHCC will make information from these meetings available to our community by posting to our website, sharing over email, and sharing over Facebook in the coming weeks and months.
CCHCC needs your financial support, and your active and ongoing involvement in our efforts to help our community members get informed, and get covered. Please help spread the word about our upcoming meetings and our services, and/or make a contribution to help support CCHCC’s ongoing advocacy and organizing efforts, as well as our enrollment work.
We thank you for your commitment, and for your ongoing support and involvement!
Sincerely,
Claudia Lennhoff
Executive Director
Champaign County Health Care Consumers
