3 ways to get help navigating heating, food, health care bills during the government shutdown

From a reduction in food benefits to delayed paychecks for federal workers, the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history is forcing some Long Islanders to dig deeper into their pockets.

The impasse of more than 35  days and counting has caused disruptions to air travel with delays due to a shortage of air traffic controllers, workers missing paychecks and safety net programs running out of money. Several nonprofits, companies and other organizations are helping people fill the gap — by hosting food distributions, offering bill credit and giving guidance.

Here are three ways to get key assistance during the stalemate:

Heating bills

A federal program that helped 70,000 Long Island households with heat and cooling bills last year is not accepting applications for the 2025-26 season because of the shutdown, according to the state. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which considers income, disability and other factors, provides nearly $1,000 in average benefits for a program year, Newsday reported.

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance said on its website that households "that can't afford a fuel delivery or are facing a utility shut-off can apply for Emergency Assistance through their local department of social services."

Additionally, to help people who are set to miss out on HEAP benefits, PSEG Long Island is asking customers to apply for its Household Assistance Program, which could lower participants’ monthly bills by $45.

The initiative gives a discount on monthly bills to residents enrolled in any of 10 programs, including food stamps, HEAP, Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. A household can take part in the program as long as anyone in the home is part one of those programs, including children and grandparents. Applications to the program take about 48 to 72 hours to process, and the application can be found at psegliny.com.

Allison Puglia, manager of payment assistance outreach at PSEG, said it is important that customers in need reach out before they miss a payment. "The more that we communicate with them, the more that we can support them individually," she said.

PSEG has not said whether it would put a temporary moratorium on service shutdowns, but Puglia said in a phone interview on Monday that it is considering options to help those impacted by the government closure.

"We're not looking to shut anybody off," she said. "We're looking to help them."

National Grid didn’t respond to a request for comment, though its website does mention an Energy Affordability Program, which can also provide bill credit.

Food assistance

As of August, state data shows that roughly 165,000 people on Long Island take part in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, a federal anti-hunger program that is also sometimes called food stamps.

The Trump administration has said that it has doled out roughly half of SNAP funding this November — leaving many recipients still searching for other means to put food on the table, The Associated Press reported.

Two options for those in need of food assistance are Long Island Cares/The Harry Chapin Food Bank and the Island Harvest Food Bank. The Island Harvest Food Bank list of pantries can be found at here.

The Long Island Cares' list can be found at licares.org/find-food/.

Speaking last month to Long Islanders concerned about hunger, Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest Food Bank, said her organization "is still here for you."

"We're concerned and we're nervous," she said, "but we're going to do what we can to help you, because that's what our mission is."

Health care premiums

Expiring health care subsidies that make medical coverage more affordable for millions of Americans are at the center of the government standstill. Democrats want to continue the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits that are set to expire next year, while some Republicans have been resistant to them, The Associated Press reported.

In the middle, there are millions of people who could see their health premiums increase by about 115%, according to KFF, a health research organization.

Open enrollment for the ACA began in November, and some participants are already seeing much higher premiums, experts say. The tax credits are for those who earn more than 400% of the federal poverty level.

Long Island experts worry people might forgo medical coverage, particularly younger, healthier people. If younger people don’t get insurance, experts warn, health insurance rates could increase across the board because the age group’s premiums help offset costs for those with health conditions that require costly care.

"Well, if your premium is going up 30, 40, 50%, you have to make the choice between, ‘Am I eating? Am I paying my rent or my health insurance?’ " said Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and CEO of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island, which is a navigator for the New York State Health Marketplace.

Baird-Streeter said there are a couple of options people can take when they see higher premiums, which the council can assist users with. One option is to move to a lower premium plan, such as going from a gold plan to a bronze one.

Another alternative is to look at whether someone’s income dropped below the 400% income threshold. If it is low enough, that person might be eligible for programs such as Medicaid or Child Health Plus.

If someone is not continuing coverage, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is a means to get care, experts say.

Harmony Healthcare Long Island, an FQHC with locations in Freeport, Roosevelt and elsewhere in the region, will not turn people away for primary care, though specialty care may be a challenge. A patient at the health center pays about $25 for a visit, with a sliding fee scale that considers income and family size.

"We will be able to support those because we'll take anybody in our health centers, regardless of their ability to pay," said David Nemiroff, president and CEO of Harmony Healthcare Long Island, in a phone interview.

Nemiroff said he advises people to get some type of care, even if they have a catastrophic health plan with lower premiums.

"They should not neglect their health care, because a small issue that is preventable today will be much more costly in the future, financially and health-wise," he said.

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday. She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University.