Would a Government Shutdown Affect Your Medicare?

President Joe Biden signed spending legislation March 23 that fully funds the federal government through Sept. 30. The measure, passed by Congress March 22 just ahead of the latest in a series of budget deadlines, ends the threat of a government shutdown for the rest of the federal fiscal year.

But even if a shutdown does occur in the future, there is some good news for older Americans: Your Medicare benefits will not be affected. 

Unlike most government services that rely on Congress to appropriate money for them to operate each year, some vital programs, like Medicare and Social Security, are paid for under a category called “mandatory spending.” 

That means the more than 66 million Americans who get their health care through the Medicare program can still go to the doctor, get hospital care and fill their prescriptions for medications without interruption. 

But there could be some lag in services. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 51 percent of its staff would be furloughed during a shutdown. That means people who need help from a Medicare representative could, for example, encounter longer wait times when contacting the Medicare hotline (800-633-4227), even though it would continue to operate. In addition, providers waiting for payment could see a lag, and other administrative services could be curtailed.

Enrolling in Medicare

People who are about to turn 65 or have a disability that qualifies them for Medicare can still apply for the program during a shutdown.

Remember, even though the Medicare program is run by CMS, the Social Security Administration handles enrollment, and applications for enrollment would continue to be available at ssa.gov during a shutdown. SSA is also responsible for automatically taking an enrollee’s Part B premium out of their monthly benefit payment, and that would continue. Medicare Part B pays for doctor visits and other outpatient services.

The SSA is also responsible for administering Medicare cards and says that during a shutdown it would not be able to replace lost Medicare cards. That shouldn’t impact a beneficiary’s ability to get medical care, however, since their enrollment information would be available to them and providers at Medicare.gov.