Dear Friend,

Today is the second day of the government shutdown. Republicans refused to come to an agreement to stop your healthcare costs from rising. As a result, we are now at a standstill.

 My office will remain open during the shutdown. Below you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions as we all as ways my office can be helpful.

Please do not hesitate to call my San Antonio office at (210) 348-8216 or my office in Washington at (202) 225-3236 if you have any additional questions or concerns. 

Will I still receive my Social Security and SSI benefits?

Yes. Americans will continue to receive Social Security and SSI checks during a shutdown. 

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide limited services like issuing Social Security cards and holding appointments for benefit applications. However, SSA will stop services like benefit verifications and the processing of overpayments, and customer wait times might increase.

If you are concerned about your Social Security or have additional questions, please call my district office at (210) 348-8216. 

Will I still receive Medicare/Medicaid benefits during a shutdown? 

Yes. Medicare services would not be affected, but new enrollments may be delayed. Anyone currently on Medicaid would continue to receive benefits for at least three months of a government shutdown.

Will USPS deliver mail during a shutdown?    

Yes. The United States Postal Service is self-funded and will not be impacted. 

To view the full list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), click here.

"Democrats are trying to pay for healthcare for undocumented immigrants."

FALSE! Neither Medicaid nor the Affordable Care Act grant care for undocumented people. Enrollees have to be registered with the federal government with legal status in order to receive benefits.  

"Action can wait because the healthcare tax credits don't expire until December 31st."

FALSE! Folks will receive notices in the next few days that premiums have more than doubled. Millions will lose coverage or face skyrocketing costs starting in October. 

"Healthcare tax credits are too expensive." 

FALSE! If you use the same baseline that Republicans used with the Big, Ugly Bill, they wouldn't cost anything. Republicans raced to give tax breaks for the rich by July 4th for things expiring at the end of December but have no urgency when it comes to lowering middle-class families' healthcare costs. 

Texas Public Radio "Castro pushes to extend tax credits that make healthcare more affordable for middle-income families"

“These are slated to go away at the end of the year, so in our negotiation, the case that we're making is that millions of Americans are going to be without health insurance if these tax credits go away,” Castro said during a virtual news conference Thursday afternoon.

“We have given them every opportunity to try to negotiate in good faith to keep the government open,” Castro said, “And what we've been working to do is to protect health tax credits that make sure that health care is affordable for millions of Texans and millions of Americans.”

I know there's a lot going on in the news. I am here for you and will keep you posted. Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter. Please stay in touch.

I post often on social media. If you’d like to stay up to date on what I am up to, follow me on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Threads, and BlueSky. 

Talk soon.

Sincerely,

Joaquin Castro
Member of Congress

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