Medicare payments to doctors paused as government shutdown drags on

Medicare Payments to Doctors Paused Due to Government Shutdown

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has paused Medicare payments to doctors as negotiations related to the government shutdown continue.

CMS announced the pause on its website, but did not specify when it would end. The pause is a result of Congress needing to reauthorize certain Medicare payment programs, including those related to telehealth and rural providers, which have become tied to the overall deal to reopen the government.

CMS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It is unclear why all physician payments have been halted, rather than just the programs that require renewal.

To read more about this story, subscribe to STAT+.

Author's summary: Medicare payments to doctors paused amid shutdown.

more

STAT STAT — 2025-10-16