As new Medicaid work requirements move forward, groups that advocate for caregivers warn the changes could make it harder for them and the people they support.
Jamie Walker is with Caring Across Generations, a national group focused on caregiving and aging issues. She says her organization opposes the Medicaid work requirements, which will require people to prove they’re working, in school, or volunteering at least 80 hours per month to keep their Medicaid coverage.
“This care is something that’s essential, and the incorporation of a work requirement creates additional barriers for folks who are really just trying to get quality care,” Walker said.
Walker says Medicaid doesn’t just support people who need care, but it also helps family caregivers stay healthy enough to keep caring for loved ones. She says when state budgets get tight, home-based services are often the first to go because states aren’t required to provide them in order to get Medicaid funding.
“Aging and disability care at home, home healthcare, those are considered optional, even though we know it’s essential. And for people to live and age with dignity with their families in their own homes and communities, it’s actually considered an optional service.”
Walker points to past downturns, including the Great Recession, when every state reduced funding for home and community based services, cuts she says families are still feeling today.
The requirements are set to go into effect next year. Supporters say that adding work or community engagement requirements could encourage labor force participation and help ensure that Medicaid is reserved for those who truly need it, potentially reducing overall federal spending and waste in the system.
