- Luke Taylor
- Rio de Janeiro
US health agencies are preparing to furlough up to three quarters of their staff and health insurance premiums could rise for millions of Americans as lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on the national budget.
Republican and Democratic representatives were unable to come to an agreement on federal health insurance subsidies or to draw up a temporary funding plan by the midnight deadline on 1 October, triggering a federal government shutdown. This means all non-essential government services will be stopped and 750 000 federal employees could be furloughed, the Congressional Budget Office estimates.1
According to the fiscal 2026 contingency plan of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 32 460 employees working at health agencies will be furloughed, with 79 717 continuing to perform essential services. The HHS oversees all national health departments.
The HHS warned of the impact the …
