US Medicare agency recalls furloughed staff to support open enrollment

By Siddhi Mahatole

(Reuters) -The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will temporarily bring back furloughed staff next week to support open enrollment for Medicare and Affordable Care Act plans, despite the ongoing government shutdown, a spokesperson said on Thursday.

The agency said the move was needed "to best serve the American people" during the enrollment periods.

Staff had been furloughed for three weeks and will return on October 27, according to the spokesperson.

CMS will fund the return using user fees collected from data-sharing agreements with researchers, allowing it to resume limited operations without congressional appropriations.

It did not disclose how many workers are being recalled.

Open enrollment for Medicare began on October 15 and runs through December 7, allowing eligible individuals - including older adults and those with disabilities - to switch between traditional Medicare and private Medicare Advantage plans, or change their current coverage.

Enrollment for ACA plans is scheduled to begin on November 1, but uncertainty over the future of expanded subsidies, set to expire at the end of the year, has already sparked concern.

Without an ACA extension, millions of Americans will incur significant increases in their healthcare premiums, which Democrats have called "a healthcare crisis".

CMS will continue to abide by rules governing the Democrat-led government shutdown, the spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Shailesh Kuber)

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