CMS recalls 3,000 furloughed workers for Medicare open enrollment amid shutdown

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will temporarily recall about 3,000 furloughed employees starting October 27 to support the open enrollment periods for Medicare and Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans amid the ongoing government shutdown. This recall aims to ensure adequate service for the approximately 69 million people receiving Medicare benefits during the enrollment window running from October 15 through December 7 for Medicare and starting November 1 for ACA marketplace plans. CMS will fund the recalled workers by using fees collected from researchers who access Medicare and Medicaid data, with plans to repay these funds once regular congressional appropriations resume. Despite the shutdown affecting 47% of CMS staff, core programs like Medicare and Medicaid remain funded by law and operational. The agency has faced some delays in data releases and public outreach but is prioritizing enrollment support during this critical period. CMS coordinated the funding strategy with the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services, continuing to comply with government shutdown rules.