What will happen to Californians if the federal government shuts down? Here’s what to know

The federal government is hurtling toward a wide-scale shutdown at midnight Saturday after weeks of failed negotiations.

What does that mean for Californians?

At first, not much.

Social Security checks will still be in the mail. Medicare and Medicaid will function as usual. Same for unemployment benefits, which are administered through federal-state programs. Air traffic controllers and TSA officers will stay on the job.

This status quo will be sustained in large part by federal employees who will work without pay, including active-duty military members and federal firefighters. Many workers will be furloughed, but all will get back pay when the shutdown ends.

Some ongoing federal services will slow with less staff, especially in a prolonged shutdown. However for the most part, people not working for the government won’t feel immediate effects.

Government services deemed nonessential will cease, with more closing over time as money and staff attendance dwindles. But federal agencies have contingency plans. And many benefits — like Social Security payments — are considered to be mandatory federal spending and not subjected to Congress’ yearly budgeting process.

Congress has until midnight Sept. 30 before agencies are slated to run out of money. A group of far-right House Republicans, demanding drastic spending cuts, have held up legislation to fund the government for another year and refused a short-term agreement that would stave off a shutdown for a month.

Even if the House of Representatives reaches agreements, the far-right cuts are dead-on-arrival in the Senate. The Republican-held House and Democratic-led Senate must pass identical measures and send them to the president for signature.

With a shutdown on the horizon, here’s some of what to expect:

What happens to Social Security checks?

Social Security benefits will continue to flow to California’s 6.2 million beneficiaries.

People can apply for benefits, correct records, seek appeals of decisions and make changes in their address, direct deposit information and other items.

Some areas will be affected, said Max Richtman, President & CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

“Although most field staff will be working during the shutdown, there are restrictions on what work they can do,” he said. “From what we can tell, the most affected benefits are likely to be in the disability area — backlogs could grow significantly depending on how long the shutdown lasts.”

What about Medicare and Medicaid?

Medicare services will generally continue as normal, according to AARP.

“Enrollees can still go to the doctor, hospital and get their drug prescriptions filled,” said the interest group for older adults.

Still, “depending on how long a shutdown lasts, medical providers could see a lag in their payments.

“Open enrollment for Medicare begins October 15, but the shutdown is not anticipated to impact consumer efforts to make changes in their plans.”

Medicaid, the joint state-federal health care program for lower income people and some others, has enough federal money to continue through the end of this year. Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program.

The state health insurance programs that help people are “run by the states and would not be impacted by a federal shutdown,” AARP advises.

Will unemployment and SNAP benefits be available?

Unemployment benefits, which are administered through federal-state programs, will operate. California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) manages unemployment.

If the shutdown is prolonged, there could be a delay in processing applications, given that the federal government pays administrative costs.

Furloughed federal workers can apply for unemployment during a shutdown, per EDD guidance from when the government shutdown in 2018. After they have received back pay, however, they must return those funds.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would last for at least a month. Consequences could be more immediate for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Vilsack told reporters at the White House Monday the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees both programs, has a contingency fund that might continue WIC for a couple days. Some states may have leftover benefits that have not been spent.

What about farm and wildfire assistance?

Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices will close, so new loans to farmers and ranchers will stop, according to the USDA. Marketing assistance loans will pause as well. And families in rural areas won’t be able to apply for or get USDA housing loans.

“Now is the time when farmers are harvesting their crops and they’re seeking marketing loans, which allow them and assist them in ensuring that they get a decent price for their crop,” Vilsack said. “When we have a shutdown, Farm Service Agency offices in virtually every county of this country shut down and those loans are not available.”

Federal firefighters will work without pay. About 3,500 are expected to in California, according to the Forest Service, which is also part of the USDA.

What happens to air travel?

Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers will work without pay during the shutdown.

Will a government shutdown cause airport delays? What to know as funding deadline looms

Toward the end of the 35-day 2018-19 shutdown, staffing shortages and absences affected security checkpoint times and caused significant flight delays in some airports.

The government already has a shortage of controllers, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said at a news conference Wednesday, so, “The consequences would be disruptive and dangerous.”

Will national parks stay open?

Reschedule your trips, the Interior Department said Thursday, because the “majority of national parks will be closed completely.”

A senior Interior Department official noted that it is physically “impossible or impractical” to close some parks, such as open-air memorials, trails and campgrounds that are accessible without going through a gate. But “staffing levels and services including restroom and sanitation maintenance, trash collection, road maintenance, campground operations, and emergency operations will vary and are not guaranteed.”

Joshua trees and other natural sites were damaged during the 2018-19 shutdown when large numbers of people visited parks that had little-to-no staff, the official told reporters Thursday, and the National Parks Service is still dealing with some of those impacts.

The Interior Department, which houses the National Parks Service, advised people stay away during the shutdown “out of consideration for protection of natural and cultural resources, as well as visitor safety.”

Businesses that rely on National Parks tourists will take a heavy hit, especially in a prolonged shutdown. The same goes for ones around National Forests.

Love Fat Bear Week? Too bad. The official said without funding, it’s essentially canceled.

The bears will still be fat, but no one will be able to update the website.

“The bears will be fine but we won’t be tracking them.”