No GOP, Shutting Down the Government will Not Stop the Implementation of Obamacare
If the federal government shuts down, don’t expect the implementation of Obamacare to stop.
The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service issued a report on Monday stating that the law would still be in effect even if lawmakers hold up the functioning of the government over budget disputes.
“It appears that substantial [Affordable Care Act] implementation might continue during a lapse in annual appropriations that resulted in a temporary government shutdown,” the report says.
It pointed to the fact that the federal government will “be able to rely on sources of funding other than annual discretionary appropriations.” It also noted that federal agencies are allowed to continue performing certain functions during a shutdown.
Furthermore, it said, the individual mandate would continue.
“If a government shutdown were to occur during calendar year 2014, the lapse in funding would not automatically suspend the requirement of the individual mandate,” the report said. “In other words, during the time period that the government is shut down, taxpayers who fall within the coverage of the individual mandate would still be accruing penalties for any months in which they lacked minimum essential coverage.”