How the government shutdown is hitting the health care system – and what the battle over ACA subsidies means

Major rifts over key health care issues are at the heart of the federal government shutdown that began at the stroke of midnight on Oct. 1, 2025.

This is not the first time political arguments over health care policy have instigated a government shutdown. In 2013, for example, the government shut down due to disputes over the Affordable Care Act.

This time around, the ACA continues to play a central role, with Democrats demanding, among other things, an extension of subsidies for ACA…