DELAWARE - The Delaware Healthcare Association is sounding the alarm over the potential impact a federal government shutdown could have on critical healthcare services across the state.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Brian Frazee, president and CEO of the DHA, said while Medicare and Medicaid recipients are not immediately at risk, the shutdown threatens several healthcare programs that support hospital operations and patient care, according to DHA.
DHA said it is currently in Washington, D.C., urging lawmakers to extend those programs.
“Nobody benefits from a government shutdown,” Frazee said. “This shutdown will have real implications on critical healthcare programs. The current political gridlock creates uncertainty making these times only more challenging.”
Frazee also pointed to the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year and have become a sticking point in federal funding negotiations. Without an extension, thousands of people in Delaware could lose their health insurance coverage.