Government Shutdown Strains Patients, Providers

As the nation faced Day 1 of the government shutdown, federal lawmakers made no progress on funding government operations in the new fiscal year, and healthcare leaders pondered the effects of the budget impasse on patients, providers, researchers and public health programs.

By Tuesday afternoon, Senate Democrats rejected the latest bill from House Republicans, who Monday night had sent back to the Senate a spending bill that would delay the healthcare reform law's individual mandate and eliminate the federal government's health benefit contribution for members of Congress, their staff and political appointees. The House bill came with a request for the two chambers to hammer out their differences in conference committee. House members resumed session on Tuesday morning, but had not acted after the Senate lobbed the ball in their court.

The House still could pass the Senate's “clean” continuing resolution, which would then move to the president for his signature and restart government operations. If House members choose to amend the Senate-passed bill again, it would still require Senate consideration.

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Source: Modern Healthcare