For the first time since 2019, congressional gridlock is poised to at least temporarily shut down big parts of the federal government — including many health programs.
If it happens, some government functions would stop completely and some in part, while others wouldn't be immediately affected — including Medicare, Medicaid and health plans sold under the Affordable Care Act. But a shutdown would complicate the lives of everyone who interacts with any federal health program, as well as the people who work at the agencies administering them.
