With government shutdown over, what’s next for SNAP benefits and ACA subsidies?

With shutdown over, what’s next for SNAP benefits?

The government shutdown's end has not resolved concerns over SNAP benefits and ACA tax credits, affecting food and health care costs.

While the government shutdown may be over, the cost of food and health care is top of mind for many.

Some people say they are still waiting to receive their full SNAP benefits, while others are worried their health care premiums will skyrocket due to the expiring ACA tax credits.

Hundreds of residents, including those who receive SNAP assistance, packed TrueLA Church's parking lot Thursday in southwest Los Angeles.

Rev. Douglas Nelson says they scheduled the emergency food giveaway because of the government shutdown's impact on SNAP funding.

"What we've been seeing is that there's been a group of people who just haven't been served and don't have the ability to buy food," said Nelson.

"People need help," said Cynthia Winder, who attended the food giveaway.

But with the shutdown over, there’s still some uncertainty as it relates to the federal food program.

"What we have heard is that individuals have been getting half funding or some funding," said Nelson.

Last week, prior to the government reopening, the Governor's Office said Californians were beginning to see their full SNAP benefits restored on their EBT cards.

Rev. Nelson says the hope is that people get full payments before Thanksgiving, but until then, they plan to keep supporting the community however they can.

"We're going to ensure that those families that are impacted by SNAP receive some kind of service from us."

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s President and CEO, Michael Flood, released the following statement:

"We are pleased that the federal government shutdown has ended, allowing LA County residents to once again access the SNAP/CalFresh benefits they need to feed themselves and their families, and for federal workers to be paid. However, 2025 has been an incredibly challenging year for our local community, starting with the Greater LA Wildfires in January and the impacts of the federal government shutdown. We expect to experience continued high demand for food assistance from families and people throughout Los Angeles County. The Food Bank and the network of partner agencies that we serve will continue to do what we can thanks to support from volunteers, food donors, financial donors, the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and U.S. Department of Agriculture."

FOX 11 has reached out to the California Health and Human Services Agency for an update on SNAP payments. The department responded with the following statement:

"CalFresh/SNAP benefits were delayed due to the Trump Administration’s decision to oppose the issuance of benefits during the shutdown. However, the federal shutdown is over. We anticipate that all recipients should be receiving full SNAP benefits in November and the coming months."

California remains committed to ensuring that vulnerable Californians have access to the food support they need to the greatest extent possible. While SNAP benefits were delayed, we anticipate that currently all recipients should be receiving full SNAP benefits

Some top Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, say the other lingering impact of the shutdown will be on those who receive health care through the Affordable Care Act because of expiring ACA tax credits.

"They're seeing their premiums go up by more than 90 percent here in Covered California, and that's going to mean a lot fewer people can come to a clinic like this," Schiff said.

Sen. Adam Schiff stopped by a health center in Los Angeles Thursday to sound the alarm on the expiring ACA tax credits, a major sticking point in the shutdown debate.

The bill to fund and reopen the government does not extend those credits.

"Those folks will still come to these clinics, but they'll come uninsured, and those clinics are going to struggle to serve them," said Louise McCarthy.

Louise McCarthy is the President and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, who also attended the press conference at the health clinic with others on Thursday.

President Donald Trump and other Republicans have called for revamping the law instead of extending the existing health care subsidies. But some are holding out hope Congress can come to some kind of agreement soon on health care.