Chair File: Inside the Shutdown and Other Key 2025 Priorities

This week brings the fourth week of the federal government shutdown as Congress has yet to pass legislation to fund the government. This shutdown is a bit different in that health care priorities are front and center as both parties look for resolution.

One of the biggest issues is the enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs), which are set to expire at the end of 2025. EPTCs help people purchase affordable coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace, and millions of people could lose their coverage when they expire, and millions more could face higher costs.

The second big effect of the shutdown to our field comes in telehealth and other virtual services. The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services’ telehealth flexibilities expired on Sept. 30, as well as the hospital-at-home program. Both of these are key approaches to ensuring access to care in our communities.

We will see if the fourth week of the shutdown brings resolution to these and other issues, as both parties face mounting pressure to seek resolution. All of these issues affect our communities, and we remain committed to doing everything we can to serve the people who count on us.

That includes focusing on other key priorities through the end of the year, which include:

• Addressing the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment reductions.
• Protecting the 340B program.
• Rejecting site-neutral payment reductions.
• Holding for-profit health insurers accountable.
• Providing exemptions for health care workers from H-1B visa program changes.
• Providing tariff exceptions for PPE and other medical equipment.
• And many other priorities.

I spoke with Stacey Hughes, AHA’s executive vice president of government relations and public policy, for a Leadership Dialogue conversation earlier this month. You can listen to that conversation here to unpack the effects of the shutdown and the legislative outlook for the remainder of the year.

Helping You Help Communities — Key AHA Resources

• AHA Letter to Capitol Hill Leaders on Advocacy Priorities
• Leadership Dialogue: The Government Shutdown and Pending 2025 Legislative Outlook
• Advocacy Issue: Enhanced Premium Tax Credits
• 2025 Telehealth Advocacy Agenda
• AHA Urges Administration to Exempt Health Care Personnel from H-1B Visa Program Changes
• AHA Responds to Department of Commerce’s RFI on PPE and Medical Equipment