Why a gov't shutdown won't stop the health law's implementation

News outlets report that government officials involved in the launch of the health law's online insurance marketplaces on Oct. 1 say they expect to have access to funding even if the federal government stops operating.

Reuters: Even In A U.S. Government Shutdown, Obamacare Exchanges Could Function
U.S. State officials behind the launch of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform on October 1 say they could weather a federal government shutdown, though the scenario would add new pressure to the political attacks and technical issues that have weighed on the program's introduction. Several officials running new state-based insurance exchanges that are due to open for enrollment next month said they expected to have access to funds in the case of a shutdown, which if it happens, would also start on October 1, the beginning of the fiscal year (Begley and Krauskopf, 9/21).

Bloomberg: Obamacare Enrollment Continues If Government Shuts Down
Shutting down the government won't shut down the health-care law. In a quirk of the calendar, the start of enrollment for the Affordable Care Act and the first day of a shutdown would fall on the same day, Oct. 1. The good news for President Barack Obama is that cutting off funds for non-essential government programs in a shutdown wouldn't stop funding for implementing his health care law, health policy experts said (Przybyla and Wayne, 9/23).