BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — While the federal government has reopened after a 43-day shutdown, uncertainty remains for industries ranging from healthcare to air travel as agencies begin recovering from the disruption.
On Wednesday, the House once again took up the Senate-passed funding bill, ultimately approving it with a 222–209 vote. The measure funds the government through January but excludes extensions for key Affordable Care Act subsidies that thousands of Californians rely on.
Covered California estimates that without those subsidies, premiums could rise an average of 97%. Clinica Sierra Vista officials say they are already seeing steep cost increases as open enrollment begins.
“We have seen a significant increase in premium costs,” said Director of Communications for Clinica Sierra Vista Christian Pinedo. “What used to cost $200 to $300 for a family is now costing over $1,000.”
Pinedo said many patients are delaying enrollment because they do not know whether subsidies will return. “Even though it is extremely important for them to have coverage, they cannot afford it,” he said, adding that rural communities — including parts of Kern County — may be hit hardest if prices climb further.
At the same time, nationwide air travel continues to face significant disruptions, with hundreds of flights canceled. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that even with the funding deal, smooth travel during Thanksgiving is far from certain.
“There’s a lot of Thanksgiving travel. What’s going to happen during that time frame?” Duffy said. “You’re going to see this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday big disruption thus far — massively more disruption as we come into the weekend if the government doesn’t open.”
Local lawmakers split little in their assessment of the shutdown’s toll. Rep. Vince Fong, who voted to reopen the government, criticized Senate Democrats, saying they “held the American people hostage by using them as leverage,” and called the shutdown “completely avoidable.”
Rep. David Valadao also supported the funding bill, noting that the short-term extension advances several appropriations measures, including the legislative branch bill, and helps avoid another last-minute comprehensive package. He added that it includes “critical investments” to support groundwater recharge, strengthen public safety in the Central Valley, and fund agricultural programs.
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