Details Regarding a Likely Government Shutdown
from txhca. org; 9/30/13

AHCA personnel have been in contact with CMS to examine the potential ramifications of a possible government shutdown. Although there is very little information available at this point in time, we hope that you will find the below information and resources helpful.

In the past, federal government shutdowns have only disturbed discretionary programs (e. g., Older Americans Act, Social Services Block Grant, etc. ). Entitlement programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security have not customarily been impacted. However, governmental business processes could be impacted. For instance, federal workers process beneficiary checks and applications, for example SSI and SSDI as well as Medicare, and the scope and scale of shutdown impacts on SSA would be at the discretion of the SSA Administrator, as would be accurate for almost all federal Departments such as CMS.

Particularly, CMS workforce are required to move funds to the states for Medicaid, and, in the case of Medicare, to plans and suppliers. In the past, the federal government has exempted these sorts of workers from furlough. Less clear is just how CMS would tackle the problem of employees engaged in policy or program development efforts such as processing Medicaid State Plan Amendments and waiver submissions, Medicare-Medicaid Coordination actions, and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations demonstrations. Finally, particulars are not yet available on how a lengthy shutdown (i. e., a month or more) would influence government contractors such as Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). Even so, historical guidance has made clear that information systems that are crucialto essential services should be maintained.

AHCA/NCAL will promptly communicate with the membership any information from the federal government once such advice becomes available.

 

 

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