Government Shutdown Deadline Nears

Less than a week remains for Congress to agree on a $1.1 trillion funding bill in order to avert the threat of yet another government shutdown. The deadline to pass this bill is December 11, 2015, although Congress could technically use a stopgap measure to buy an extra week, pushing the deadline to December 18. As previously reported, a shutdown would have significant consequences for all government agencies, including the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Although most Medicare and Medicaid services are considered necessary to the public welfare and would thus escape much of the repercussions of a shutdown, operations at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would nonetheless be affected.

So what is the likelihood of a shutdown occurring?

The House Democrats rejected the Republican’s offered funding bill on Monday and are planning an alternative package in response. The Democrats cite more than 30 policy riders making the package unacceptable to their side. The aggressive response from the left wing suggests they won’t easily back down this go-round, however, the possibility of a shutdown is less likely than estimated during the stand-off a few months ago.

For one, unlike a few months ago, Planned Parenthood funding has not been as much of a battle this month. This time, the Syrian refugee crisis, terrorist attacks, and immigration policies bear the brunt of the debate. Congressman McCarthy also hinted on Monday he did not predict the Planned Parenthood tension to hinder the passage of a funding bill this year. The new Speaker, Paul Ryan, also has a lot riding on averting a government shutdown, as such an event six weeks into the job would be disconcerting to the party. And, unlike earlier in the year, with key members of both parties unwilling to use the threat of a shutdown to further their agendas, the likelihood a funding bill will pass is very good.

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