The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has posted contingency plans for agency operations in the absence of appropriations. NIH would continue patient care for current NIH Clinical Center patients, minimal support for ongoing protocols, animal care services to protect the health of NIH animals, and minimal staff to safeguard NIH facilities an infrastructure. NIH would not admit new patients (unless deemed medically necessary by the NIH Director), or initiate new protocols, and would discontinue some veterinary services. NIH will not take any actions on grant applications or awards.

The HHS contingency plans for agency operations in the absence of appropriations would lead to furloughing 40,659 staff and retaining 39,173 staff as of day two of a near-term funding hiatus. The plan notes that 2,084 NIH staff would be accepted for the provision of patient care. While NIH would not be accepting new patients or initiating new clinical protocols during a hiatus, the continued provision of care to existing patients (both inpatients and outpatients) means the hospital would be operating at approximately 90 % of normal patient load during the initial weeks of a funding hiatus. NIH plans to retain a small group of staff to support direct medical care staff. These staff will perform critical functions such as the monitoring of protocols and regulatory adverse effect report functions, and the distribution of drugs to clinics.

Complete information and methodology is available here.

Last updated: September 29, 2015