Update: What We’re Watching, Oct. 30, 2025

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Update: What We're Watching, Oct. 30, 2025

Hill to the Heartland: Federal Health Policy Briefing

Hill to the Heartland: Federal Health Policy Briefing is a product series providing regular updates on federal health policy discussions. Sign up here to receive these summaries and more, and also follow KHI on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

As the federal government shutdown continued into its fourth week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recalled furloughed staff to support open enrollment for Medicare and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be issued as of Nov. 1.

Here is some of the health-related news we are watching that could have an impact on Kansas.

The views expressed in the following news stories, news releases or documents are not necessarily those of the Kansas Health Institute (KHI). They are being shared with the intent of keeping Kansans informed of the latest developments related to federal health policy.

1. Continued Government Shutdown

The government has entered its fourth week of shutdown as Congress fails to resolve the budget deadlock. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that about 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed, with key agencies operating under contingency plans. All six members of the Kansas congressional delegation voluntarily halted their federal salaries during the ongoing government shutdown.

Read more from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): FY 2026 HHS Contingency Staffing Plan

Read more from the Congressional Budget Office: Potential Effects of a Federal Government Shutdown

Read more from NCSL: Federal Government Shutdown: What It Means for States and Programs

Read more from The Hill: Moderate Republicans push for extension of health subsidies

Read more from the Kansas Reflector: Entire Kansas congressional delegation voluntarily halts their paychecks amid shutdown

2. Furloughed CMS Employees to Return for ACA Open Enrollment

The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) temporarily recalled several thousand furloughed workers to support the opening of Medicare and ACA marketplace open enrollments. An estimated 3,000 employees were furloughed according to the CMS staffing contingency plan. CMS will fund the restoration of daily operations with user fees collected from sharing data with researchers.

Open enrollment for Medicare runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. During that time, older adults and people with disabilities receiving Medicare can change the coverage that they want through the government's website.

Open enrollment for the ACA marketplace runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 15. During that time, new and continuing enrollees can compare and purchase health insurance plans. The enhanced premium tax credits adopted initially in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 are set to expire at the end of December, but Congress has not reached an agreement on whether to extend them, leaving many uncertain about premium costs after tax credits are applied.

The preview of 2026 plans and prices is available on HealthCare.gov. Kansans who are interested in how premium increases and the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits will affect their net costs in 2026 can also reference this calculator published by KFF. Depending on their income, if enhanced tax credits aren't extended, some Kansans may lose advanced premium tax credits (APTC) altogether, while others will see lower APTC, increasing the net premium costs of many marketplace plans.

Read more from HHS: CMS Contingency Staffing Plan

Read more from HHS: Plan Year 2026 Marketplace Plans and Prices Fact Sheet

Read more from KFF: ACA Insurers Are Raising Premiums by an Estimated 26%, but Most Enrollees Could See Sharper Increases in What They Pay

Calculator published from KFF: How Much More Would People Pay in Premiums if the ACA's Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire?

Read more from the Associated Press: Some furloughed health workers to return for open enrollment

3. Programs Facing Disruption

As the federal government shutdown continues, several programs that depend on annual appropriations are nearing funding lapses. While some agencies are relying on contingency plans and remaining balances, many could experience disruption of services.

On Oct. 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not issue benefits as of Nov. 1. SNAP helps eligible households afford nutritious food by providing monthly benefits that can be used at authorized grocery stores and farmers' markets.

On Oct. 27, Gov. Laura Kelly announced she had joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general and two governors in filing a lawsuit against the USDA and Secretary Brooke Rollins for suspending SNAP benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) anticipates that the funding for food in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program will last into November. WIC promotes healthy birth outcomes and early childhood development by providing food packages and other services for those who are found to be nutritionally at risk.

Read the announcement from the USDA: SNAP Announcement

Read letter from House Democrats: Letter to USDA Secretary

Read the press release from Gov. Kelly: Governor Kelly Sues Trump Administration

Read more from KFF: Nutrition Programs Face Their Own Shutdown

Listen from KFF: Amid Shutdown Stalemate, Families Brace for SNAP Cuts and Paycheck Limbo

Read more from KDHE: News Flash • Kansas WIC Formula Shipments Temporarily Paused

Read more from KSNT: Gov. Kelly reacts to SNAP and WIC benefits as government shutdown hits 22 days

Read more from KSNT: Kansas DCF shares update on status of SNAP amid ongoing federal government shutdown

Read more from Roll Call: USDA says it can't use contingency fund for food stamps

Stay tuned for further updates on policy shifts that may affect health programs and services in Kansas. For related work on how federal policies could impact Kansans, please check out Hill to the Heartland.

Funding for Hill to the Heartland is provided in part by the Sunflower Foundation: Health Care for Kansans, a Topeka-based philanthropic organization with the mission to serve as a catalyst for improving the health of Kansans. KHI retains editorial independence in the production of its content and its findings. Any views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sunflower Foundation.