The current U.S. government shutdown has passed a milestone to become the longest full government shutdown in history.

With the next military paycheck and the upcoming open enrollment period for health insurance approaching, pressure is mounting for a resolution.

However, there have been few if any sustained bipartisan conversations about ending the government shutdown. The extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies continues to be a sticking point for Democrats as Republicans maintain that those discussions can wait until the government reopens.

A solution will likely have to go beyond the original House continuing resolution that would only fund the government until Nov. 21. Longer potential stopgap funding could open the government through December, mid-to-late January, or potentially even a full year continuing resolution, which appropriators are hesitant about considering. But it is not clear how these longer continuing resolutions plan to address the Democrats’ main battlefront of ACA subsidies.

In the meantime, CMS has issued new guidance extending its temporary hold on telehealth claims beyond the initial 10-business-day period. While this action helps prevent administrative disruption, it offers little comfort to patients or providers.

“CMS’s decision to hold telehealth claims helps prevent chaos, but it’s not a victory. It’s another reminder that we’re relying on temporary fixes when patients and providers deserve long-term certainty,” said Tom Leary, Senior Vice President and Head of Government Relations at HIMSS. “Congress needs to make telehealth a permanent part of care delivery.”

HIMSS continues to advocate for swift congressional action to reinstate Medicare telehealth flexibilities and ensure lasting access to virtual care.

Take action: Tell your Senators and Representatives to establish permanent or long-term access to vital telehealth services.

HIMSS is co-leading a sign-on letter urging lawmakers to act quickly to reinstate Medicare telehealth flexibilities for as long as possible.

At the same time, HIMSS is also joining healthcare leaders in calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan Peters–Rounds bill, which would restore crucial cybersecurity information-sharing protections that expired earlier this year.

These provisions have been vital in helping hospitals, health systems and their partners securely share threat intelligence with federal agencies.

“Reauthorizing the legislation is essential for fostering trusted threat intelligence sharing that helps the healthcare community protect patient data, strengthen resilience and safeguard care delivery,” said Hal Wolf, President and CEO of HIMSS.

See also: U.S. Government Shutdown Halts Funding, Extends Debate over Health and Cyber Protections