CMS has announced the agency activities that will and won’t proceed during the federal government shutdown.
The shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement over the federal budget.
Here are 10 things that ASCs need to know about how CMS will function during the shutdown:
1. CMS will retain 53% of its staff, 3,311 employees, during the shutdown.
2. It will have sufficient funding for Medicaid to fund the first quarter of fiscal 2026, which runs through Dec. 31.
3. It will maintain the staff required to make payments to eligible states for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
4. Federal marketplace activities will continue, including eligibility verification.
5. Other non-discretionary activities, including Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control, and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, will also continue.
6. Activities related to healthcare facility surveying and certification will focus on the most serious investigations into incidents of patient or resident harm. Other activities, such as recertification surveys, and less serious complaint investigations and all surveys by federal staff will be suspended.
7. CMS expects delays in rule-making and other policy development due to limited staff.
8. The agency will be largely unable to provide oversight to many of its major contractors including the Medicare administrative contractors, Medicare call centers and other IT contractors.
9. Many national and community outreach and education activities will slow down or stop. This may include Medicare cards and other mailings.
10. Beneficiary casework services will largely be suspended.
