This week will prove a key inflection point in the government shutdown. On November 1, 2025, the shutdown will pass the one-month mark. November 1 is also the date the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will run out of federal funding and the health insurance Marketplace open enrollment period will begin, where consumers will see significant premium increases due to the pending expiration of the enhanced advanced premium tax credits after December 31, 2025. Whether there are funds for the administration to keep paying military personnel is also unknown, and federal employees will miss another paycheck this week. Any of these items could spur more public outrage and cause lawmakers to choose to end the shutdown. However, with the House out of session, subject to a 48-hour callback, and President Trump overseas this week, next week is the one to watch for potential congressional action.
Last week, the Senate failed to pass two bills related to federal employee pay, and further developments could impact whether the House returns to session in the near future. Sen. Johnson (R-WI) led the Republican-supported version, and Sen. Van Hollen (D-MD) led the Democratic alternative. This week, the senators are working toward a compromise bill that, if quickly developed, agreed to by the two senators, and passed by the Senate, could prompt the House to return to consider that legislation.
Senate committees also will consider key US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) nominees. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will consider Casey Means, MD, nominated for surgeon general, who will join the hearing virtually. The Senate Finance Committee will hear from four nominees, including Thomas Bell, nominated for HHS inspector general after the former inspector general, Christi Grimm, was fired early this year. Means has been a key supporter of Secretary Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement, and members are likely to focus questioning during both hearings on HHS restructuring, reductions in force, and vaccines.
Furloughed staff at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) returned to work October 27, 2025, after the agency announced it would use research user fees to pay staff to work on key CMS priorities, including Medicare and Marketplace open enrollment. The return of all staff may mean that CMS will try to release the calendar year 2026 Medicare payment final rules close to their required deadline of November 1, 2025, including the Physician Fee Schedule and Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rules.
In this week’s Healthcare Preview podcast, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join Maddie News to discuss the upcoming start of the health insurance marketplace open enrollment, and what any potential congressional action on the enhanced premium tax credits could mean for the marketplaces.
