It is looking more and more like a shutdown is inevitable as early as this Friday.  For those that rely on Social Security or Medicare, it is critical to receive your payments and support on time.  In the government shutdowns of 1995 and 2003, most government programs remained funded.  SSI payments continued with no change in payment dates, but the real change occurred in issuing new benefits, replacement cards, verifications or any other problems that require personal attention.  Similarly, the Medicare program continued without interruption as they have funding sources that don’t depend on annual spending laws in Congress.