OCEAN COUNTY – For four straight public meetings, a growing chorus of Ocean County residents pleaded with their elected officials to take action. They were asking the Board of Commissioners for a resolution asking Congressmen Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew to vote against a sweeping federal proposal that critics say could devastate Medicaid and SNAP benefits for the county’s most vulnerable residents.
It wasn’t an unprecedented request – the Commissioners had already passed a resolution advocating for preservation of the Older Americans Act. And their counterparts on the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners had already voted in favor of a resolution on behalf of their constituents regarding the loss of SNAP benefits.
On July 4, President Donald Trump signed into law the legislation dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping package that Republican lawmakers hailed for its tax reforms and spending controls. But for those who rely on Medicaid and SNAP benefits, particularly in senior-dense Ocean County, the bill represents uncertainty in the future.
At each of the last four Ocean County Board of Commissioners meetings, members of the Ocean County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) turned up in matching purple shirts, emblazoned with a take on an Eleanor Roosevelt quote: “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Their mission was clear – convince the all-Republican board to intercede with their party counterparts in Washington.
Ocean County NOW President Lynda Fote reminded commissioners of the county’s aging population and how Medicaid acts as a critical safety net when seniors outlive their savings. “Sooner or later, many of us face the question: what do we do with mom or grandma when they cannot live on their own?” Fote asked. “Medicaid is New Jersey Family Care and guarantees all of us health insurance when we need it the most.”
She noted that while about 20 percent of New Jersey residents are covered by Medicaid, that figure rises to 25 percent in Ocean County – largely due to the significant number of retirees. Medicaid plays a crucial role in funding assisted living or nursing care.
Barbara Crystal, a Stafford Township resident, had also urged the commissioners to act. “This bill will strip $1.5 trillion in Medicaid and SNAP programs to give $4.5 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals and corporations,” she warned. “Sixteen million vulnerable Americans will lose health care.”
Despite their pleas, the board did not pass a resolution to send a message to federal lawmakers representing Ocean County. However, Commissioner Director Jack Kelly read into the record a written response he received after he personally spoke with Smith.
In the letter, Smith praised the legislation, saying it protected Medicaid benefits for “those who need it most” while introducing “modest work or volunteer requirements for able-bodied Americans.” He emphasized exemptions for seniors, the disabled, pregnant women, and caregivers, and touted support from major first responder unions.
Smith characterized the reforms as “compassionate” and aimed at preserving the program by rooting out waste and fraud. He also added that the bill prohibits benefits allotted to “illegal aliens” and provided assurances that the bill would make no changes to Social Security benefits.
One of the provisions of the bill could impact Medicaid recipients whose income levels fall within federal poverty level guidelines. An individual bringing in between $15,650 and $21,597 faces medical co-pay costs of up to $35 per visit.
Smith’s letter did not address changes in the federal government funding of SNAP benefits.
People who receive nutrition assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits) face new challenges. Work requirements are not only in place for parents of children age 14 or older – but also anyone up to age 64. Up until now, parents with dependent children of any age have not been faced with work requirements to receive SNAP assistance. The program has been entirely funded by the federal government.
With federal dollars poised to shrink, the burden of care will fall increasingly on state and county government, charities, and individual families.
Advocates who repeatedly appeared before the Ocean County Board of Commissioners say they’re left with a deep sense of disappointment. They acknowledge that the final vote in Congress may not have changed – but believe their county elected officials missed an opportunity to stand up for their constituents. More than anything, they say, they wanted their voices to be amplified.
Multiple individuals also expressed frustration that neither Congressman Chris Smith nor Congressman Jeff Van Drew have held town halls to hear directly from the people most affected. “Even if the outcome was inevitable,” one advocate said, “We deserved to be heard.”
