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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has confirmed that it is temporarily calling back all furloughed employees during open enrollment.
“In order to best serve the American people amid the Medicare and Marketplace open enrollment seasons, CMS is temporarily calling back all furloughed employees on Monday, Oct. 27. CMS will continue to abide by rules governing the Democrat-led government shutdown,” said a CMS spokesperson.
Medicare open enrollment began on Oct. 15 and ends on Dec. 7.
The open enrollment period for plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace on HealthCare.gov starts Nov. 1 and ends on Jan. 15, 2026.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Day-to-day operations are being restored through funding collected through research data sharing user fees in a coordinated effort through the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Nearly half of the CMS workforce, about 3,000 CMS employees, were furloughed, according to the Federal News Network, citing CMS data.
CMS employees who are working during the shutdown continue to get paid, the report said.
THE LARGER TREND
The government shutdown now stretches into its fourth week.
Democrats have balked at proposed GOP spending bills that end federal tax credits for qualified beneficiaries who enroll in an ACA plan. They’ve also protested cuts to Medicaid funding.
On Thursday, the Senate failed to approve a bill that would pay some federal employees, including service members, during the shutdown, according to The Hill.
Senate Republicans are divided over whether they should negotiate with Democrats on Affordable Care Act subsidies, the report said.
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org