1. Home
  2. Advocacy
  3. Latest News and Practice Data
  4. How government shutdowns affect pathologists and laboratories

How government shutdowns affect pathologists and laboratories

Unless President Trump and Congress reach a deal before tomorrow, the federal government will shut down for the first time since 2018.

  • Democratic and Republican leaders met at the White House on Monday, but they failed to reach a deal.

Benefit programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security continue to operate during a shutdown.

  • Coverage of Medicare and Medicaid services also continues as normal, but payments could be delayed if a shutdown persists for several weeks. 

A shutdown also affects programs at the Department of Health & Human Services (eg, staff at the National Institutes of Health that admit patients or process grant applications).

  • Employees deemed essential workers are required to work without immediate pay.

Go deeper: HHS has outlined its staffing plan for a shutdown.

Most Recent Content

  1. The Solo Pathologist
  2. March 3, 2026
  3. Preview: House of Delegates & Pathologists Leadership Summit
  4. Pathology leaders align on 2026 advocacy priorities
  5. CAP presses HHS for transparent, safe use of AI in health care
  6. View All