What You Need to Know About the Government Shutdown

As of 12:01am EST today, October 1st, the federal government is partially shut down, as a result of the Congress and the Trump administration’s failure to approve a budget for the fiscal year, which begins October 1 each year. This shutdown is a result of disagreements from both parties on healthcare spending in the 2026 Budget.

When a shutdown occurs, non-essential services through the federal government must be put on pause until Congress funds them again. Many federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay, even those who are required to report to work, though some may receive back pay when the government reopens.

The so-called ”Big Beautiful Bill,” passed back in July, cuts Medicaid by nearly one trillion dollars, putting 350,000 MassHealth recipients at risk of losing coverage. It also guts SNAP benefits and substantially raises health care premiums. There has been fierce disagreement about the 2026 Budget funding these programs, along with extending subsides for the Affordable Care Act.

Programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are considered mandatory spending, and are not subject to annual budget negotiations by Congress, therefore these programs will continue to be funded, and individuals who receive Social Security will still receive their benefits on time. However, appeals, claims, and application processes with the Social Security Administration, Medicare and Medicaid, and the Veterans Administration may be delayed due to likely furloughs.

These furloughs include employees of the Department of Education, which has already seen mass layoffs by the Trump administration, and with the additional furloughs, there may not be enough staff to release these funds. Also affected is funding mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures that people with disabilities are receiving adequate educational services. Many individuals in need may be left with no available resources.

Many federal workers have disabilities themselves or have a family member or child with a disability. They have rent to pay, mortgages to pay, and utility and grocery bills to pay. With paychecks withheld as a result of this shutdown, they may fall behind on their payments for the duration of the shutdown.

People with disabilities who rely on rental assistance including Section 8, and SNAP benefits (food stamps) will also be impacted. While SNAP recipients are expected to receive benefits in October, there may be delays in later payments if the shutdown continues.

More information about how the shutdown affects voucher payments and rights that you need to know are included at https://www.nhlp.org/resources/do-you-live-in-hud-or-usda-housing-know-your-rights-during-the-government-shutdown/

Additional information about what this shutdown means for people with disabilities is detailed on the Arc’s webpage at https://thearc.org/blog/federal-government-shutdown-what-people-with-disabilities-should-know/

Teddy Gronostalski
Systems Change Advocate Assistant