In normal times, a government shutdown — while unfortunate — would not be cause for immediate alarm for people on Social Security and Medicare. But these are not normal times. The Trump administration has made the shutdown more perilous for the most vulnerable Americans because of its campaign to undermine the delivery of both programs — not to mention the President’s recent threat to cut benefits.
While benefits will continue to be paid during the shutdown, Americans’ ability to access their benefits could be compromised. Anyone trying to verify benefits, report changes in circumstances, or obtain replacement Medicare cards may have to wait until the shutdown is over. But that may not be all.
“Hands Off” protest against Trump cuts at Social Security Security Administration last Spring
Since Trump and DOGE hijacked the Social Security Administration (SSA) last winter, they have ruthlessly slashed the agency’s workforce — at a time when staffing was already at a 50-year low. The administration also put up barriers for people trying to simply access their earned benefits. All of this was done under the guise of hunting for “waste, fraud, and abuse” — which are extremely rare at SSA.
Although some of the SSA workforce will be deemed ‘essential employees’ during the shutdown and continue working, the shrinking of staff by Trump and DOGE can only slow down already diminished customer service. Wait times on the 1-800 phone line and at overcrowded, understaffed field offices could be exacerbated by the shutdown.
“It’s perfectly understandable that beneficiaries would be concerned about additional disruptions during a shutdown. We would like to reassure the public about customer service at SSA, but we cannot honestly do that — given the administration’s blatant disregard for the needs of Social Security recipients.” – Max Richtman, President & CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
More ominously, Trump threatened to use the shutdown as an opportunity to (illegally) fire federal workers. Staffing at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) already has been brutally cut. Further firings would hobble the agency’s ability to administer the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Worse yet, Trump claimed the power to cut benefits during the shutdown in order to punish Democrats. “We can do things during the shutdown that… are bad for them… We can do things medically and other ways, including benefits. We can cut large numbers of people.”
Cut large numbers of people? It was a word salad, for sure, but also a declaration that this President is willing to illegally cut crucial benefits — as revenge against his political opponents and their constituents.
The shutdown is disturbing on many levels. It happened because Trump and Republicans in Congress refused to simply extend subsidies to help people pay for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Without those subsidies, premiums could more than double — leaving millions of Americans unable to afford coverage (including many ‘near seniors’ who aren’t yet old enough for Medicare). Instead, the president who rammed through a $3 trillion tax cut mostly benefitting the rich is cynically using the shutdown as an excuse to inflict further damage on seniors, people with disabilities, and their families.
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A bonus gift from Trump and the Republicans: The announcement of the 2026 Social Security cost-of-living announcement (COLA) may be delayed because of the shutdown. Why? Because workers at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which calculates the inflation rate used to determine COLAs, are deemed ‘non-essential’ employees. The COLA announcement, previously expected on October 15th, may have to be pushed back. If the shutdown drags on lone enough, this could even impact the payment of the new COLA — and hit beneficiaries right in the wallet. Thanks again, President Trump & The GOP!