County of Orange eligibility workers host congressional visit to discuss affects of 'Big Beautiful Bill'

County of Orange Eligibility Technicians (ET) are seeing the effects of H.R.1 and warn that accuracy rates may dip if government officials don’t act now.

H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was passed in July 2025 by President Donald Trump. Since taking effect, the early impacts of H.R. 1 have been disastrous for state budgets, rural communities, and those who rely on Medi-Cal. The bill included major limitations on state Medicaid financing and eligibility.

These cuts will result in the loss of health coverage and food assistance for millions of Americans, including some of the country’s most vulnerable populations—children, pregnant women, disabled individuals, seniors, and veterans. These losses will occur from stricter eligibility rules and more frequent eligibility verifications.

AFSCME Local 2076 members, who are eligibility technicians for the County of Orange, have witnessed firsthand the effects of H.R. 1. “There has been the loss of full-scope of Medi-Cal for undocumented residents, and we will be moving to semi-annual reporting,” said Joi. “For CalFresh, those who have been victimized from sexual trafficking, as well as domestic violence, refugees, and asylees are no longer eligible for food stamp benefits.”

With added eligibility restrictions and re-verifications, eligibility technicians’ workloads will increase significantly. Currently, ETs assist between 900-1,000 clients, which can be extremely stressful and difficult to manage. An increased workload can lead to an increase in errors, which can affect a client's access to food benefits and other vital programs. 

AFSCME Local 2076 and AFSCME District Council 36 are proactive about finding solutions to prevent error rates from increasing. On Monday, members from Local 2076 hosted a congressional visit with Representative Derek Tran at the Garden Grove Regional Center. During the visit, Representative Tran saw firsthand the number of residents seeking assistance. He also spent time listening to Local 2076 members speak about their experiences and provide insight into how the County of Orange Social Services Agency can better serve the community. 

Representative Tran made it clear that he is willing to assist ETs members in whatever way he can. Being a recipient of food assistance as a child, Tran understands the importance of the services ETs provide and wants to offer his support. Local 2076 members left the meeting feeling cautiously optimistic and will work with Tran to set up additional meetings with policy makers.

Additionally, Local 2076 members attended the County of Orange Board of Supervisors’ meeting on Tuesday to discuss error rates and how their current contract negotiations is an opportunity to work together to better their workplace.