Federal Government Shuts Down

As you may have heard, the federal government shut down after Congress failed to pass a short-term funding bill by October 1. This has led to furloughs for roughly 750,000 federal employees and the return of several pre-pandemic limits on Medicare telehealth services.

​Lawmakers are deadlocked over what to do next. Republicans say the best solution is to pass a temporary funding measure that would keep government operations running through November 21 and continue several health care policies, including Medicare telehealth flexibilities. The House passed such a bill on September 19 by a narrow vote of 217–212, but it has gained support from only three Senate Democrats: Senators King, Cortez Masto, and Fetterman.
 
Democrats, on the other hand, insist that any deal must also include an extension of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. Republicans argue that discussion about those tax credits should happen only after the government is funded.
 
HCAOA has learned that some federal programs affecting home care have already been disrupted, including the E-Verify system. SBA loan processing may also be delayed, which could make it harder for those looking to start a home care business to move forward.
 
We will keep you abreast of the latest as the shutdown continues.