The federal government shutdown eclipsed the one-month mark Nov. 1 and is on course to become the longest in U.S. history this week, surpassing the 35-day shutdown that ended in early 2019.
Five things to know:
1. Bipartisan talks among rank-and-file senators are making progress, four people granted anonymity to discuss the conversations told Politico Nov. 3. The White House has said they will not meet with Democrats until the government opens, but administration officials are in touch with the Republican senators involved in the talks.
Even if an agreement quickly materializes, it could take days before the shutdown ends, Politico reported. The Senate is set to return to the Capitol in the evening Nov. 3 and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has told House lawmakers they will receive 48 hours’ notice before they need to vote on any bill.
2. Two federal judges ruled on Oct. 31 that the White House must use $5 billion in contingency funds to continue paying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for up to 42 million people, The Guardian reported Nov. 2. SNAP funding stopped Nov. 1 amid the shutdown and despite the court orders, it remains unclear when or whether the administration will resume payments. President Donald Trump said he is awaiting clarification from the judges on where the money should come from.
3. Sixty percent of hospital CIOs have been directed by their boards or finance committees to pause certain IT projects amid the government shutdown, according to Black Book Research.
4. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s November meeting has been postponed amid the government shutdown.
The task force is made up of 16 health experts who advise the federal government on preventive care. The panel has issued about 100 recommendations on health screenings, counseling and preventive medication, many of which insurers must cover at no cost to patients.
The task force, which typically meets three times a year, has not formally convened since March. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly canceled a July meeting where the advisory group was expected to discuss heart disease recommendations.
5. Ninety-two percent of hospital-at-home programs have been affected by the government shutdown, with more than half of healthcare organizations permanently or temporarily shutting down the service, trade group Hospital at Home Users Group found.
Before the waiver expired, hospital-at-home programs admitted an average of 5.58 patients per day, a number that fell to 1.84 after the shutdown, a 67% drop in daily admissions, according to the findings.
