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House Republicans largely succeeded in passing a series of annual spending bills late Thursday night, trying to show that the often fractured conference can stay united on legislation headed into any last-gasp negotiations with Democrats to avert a government shutdown this weekend. (Stech Ferek, Hughes, Wise and Peterson, 9/29)

House Republicans on early Friday rolled out their new plan for a short-term spending bill that would stave off a government shutdown. The plan, dubbed the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act, would extend funding through the end of October, but impose across the board cuts of about 30 percent – with exemptions for national defense, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, and for funding designated disaster relief. (Folley and Brooks, 9/29)

Community health centers across the country are anxiously watching the budget impasse in Congress. Some 1,400 clinics depend on federal funds to serve the most vulnerable patients, and any interruptions in their funding will only add to the financial pressures they already face. These federally-qualified health centers, or FQHCs, are often located in low-income or rural communities. They deliver care on a sliding-fee scale and are mandated to serve everyone regardless of a patient's ability to pay. For millions of Americans, these clinics are the only way they can access primary care. (Boden, 9/29)

Unless Congress acts to pass a spending package on or before September 30, the federal government is hurtling toward a shutdown. How will that affect federal healthcare programs? Stakeholders and policy experts, including former government officials, shared with MedPage Today their forecasts around which health programs and personnel might be most impacted by a shutdown and the kinds of ripple effects patients, providers, and consumers broadly should anticipate. (Firth, 9/28)

For on-base medical care: Unless it's an emergency or an inpatient hospital service, your appointment is probably going to be canceled. Give your clinic a buzz to be sure or watch for specific information from your local base. For off-base medical care: You won't be affected. All Tricare functions will continue without interruption. (Bushatz and Theisen, 9/28)

A handful of federal programs that people nationwide rely on everyday could also be disrupted — from dwindling funds for food assistance to potential delays in customer service for recipients of Medicare and Social Security. The ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at impacted agencies. (Grantham-Philips, 9/28)

Food banks and pantries statewide, already straining to fill the gap from the end of COVID benefits, are bracing to meet additional demand if a government shutdown furloughs federal and military workers and federal nutrition programs run dry. (Quinn, 9/29)

Minnesota’s supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children — WIC — will continue to run even if the federal government shuts down on Sunday, the state director of that vital program told MPR News. “Participants should continue to use their benefits, and keep their appointments with WIC clinics,” Kate Franken told MPR News host Cathy Wurzer. “We plan to continue business as usual for as long as we can with the program.” (Wurzer and Brown, 9/28)

For manager Dave Gasso, King Cole Foods in Detroit's Highland Park neighborhood provides more than just fair prices. It is a place that helps serve low-income families. "We're a small store, but we have everything for what families need," Gasso says. Gasso says the majority of the store's customers are reliant on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, and food stamp benefits to pay for their groceries. (Samra, 9/28)