Republican leaders say Congress has time to debate extending the expiring funds later in the year. Health policy experts see greater urgency, as insurers will lock in their rates soon.

A Republican measure to keep the government funded past Oct. 1 stalled in the Senate after clearing the House on Friday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Wednesday he is open to discussing enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies – a priority of Democrats’ – but insisted that those negotiations cannot be tied to a stopgap government funding bill.

Senate Democrats on Friday blocked a House-passed bill to fund federal departments and agencies for seven weeks, putting Washington on the path to an Oct. 1 government shutdown. Democrats came

The government funding drama intensifies as House Republicans can only lose two votes while Democrats demand concessions to avoid a potential shutdown by Sept. 30.

Sen. Thune says a shutdown is “avoidable” but rejects Democrats’ health care demands as unrealistic ahead of the deadline.

On the same day, Republicans in the Senate also defeated Democrats' version of a government funding extension. Their legislation, which GOP leaders denounced as partisan, would have reversed Medicaid cuts and extended Obamacare subsidies set to lapse at the end of the year.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) confirmed Tuesday morning that The House of Representatives could vote on a government funding bill on Friday.

The congressionally allocated funds help provide clean drinking water, affordable housing, schools, transit and land management.

The federal government is on track to shut down next week. After weeks of negotiations, Republicans and Democrats appear to be no closer to reaching a resolution to keep the government open before the deadline hits next Wednesday.