Congress Averts Government Shutdown, Addresses Certain Health Care Programs in Stopgap

On Saturday, hours before the midnight deadline to extend federal funding, Congress passed a continuing resolution to provide funding for another 45 days. Although Congress must still pass its fiscal year 2024 spending legislation, the federal government was able to avert a full shutdown.

The continuing resolution also contains provisions relating to several health care programs that would have expired without congressional action. For example, it includes continued funding for community health centers and delays cuts that would impact safety-net hospitals, which serve a high number of Medicare and Medicaid patients. The continuing resolution also allows for continued funding for the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program and extends the authority of the National Disaster Medical System to help support responses to public health emergencies.