Family caregivers across the country would face devastating consequences under the proposed Medicaid cuts, cost shifting to the states, and work requirements unveiled by the House Energy & Commerce Committee. These harsh measures ignore the reality that more than 53 million Americans contribute $600 billion annually in essential, unpaid labor to care for aging parents, children with disabilities, and loved ones with chronic illnesses, often sacrificing their own income, health and stability in the process. Family caregivers also depend on essential home and community-based services—like direct care workers and respite care—to support their loved ones in living at home rather than in costly institutional facilities.
Stripping coverage from caregivers doesn’t create jobs or community support. It creates crisis, pushing families further into financial insecurity and deepening the pressure on an already strained long-term care system. Our nation’s caregivers, regardless of political affiliation, need America’s support.
Our new policy brief shows how work requirements would disproportionately impact caregivers who’ve already reduced hours or left the workforce to provide care, putting their health coverage at risk and destabilizing families further.
Support for family caregivers has long been a bipartisan issue. From the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers to the RAISE Family Caregiving Act, lawmakers from both parties have recognized caregiving as a shared national responsibility. These proposed cuts betray that legacy.
We urge Congressional leaders to reject policies that would gut Medicaid’s caregiving supports and instead invest in the invisible infrastructure of care that keeps families together and healthcare costs down.
NAC Responds to Proposed Medicaid Cuts and Policy Changes
