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NBC: Families caring for disabled relatives face unthinkable choices as Medicaid cuts loom
Maryland will cut family caregiver wages by more than 25% as lawmakers try to control rising Medicaid costs.
Maryland officials slashed $126 million this spring from programs serving people with developmental disabilities. Starting July 1, the Democratic-controlled state Legislature and Gov. Wes Moore will reduce family caregiver wages and cap weekly reimbursable hours.
Conservative policymakers have begun questioning whether government should pay family caregivers at all, portraying the programs as wasteful and prone to fraud. These programs, which previously enjoyed bipartisan support, now face scrutiny as states grapple with rising disability care costs.
Families warn the cuts threaten financial ruin, with some caregivers expecting annual income losses exceeding $80,000. Melissa Gonce and Michele Gregory say the reductions force impossible decisions between keeping loved ones at home or returning them to institutional settings.
Vice President JD Vance withheld $1.3 billion from California on Wednesday over fraud concerns in home care. Meanwhile, a federal spending package signed by President Donald Trump last year is expected to slash Medicaid funding by about $1 trillion over the coming decade.
Maryland Department of Health spokesperson Amanda Hils said the cuts aim to ensure long-term program stability, one of Gov. Wes Moore's top priorities. Advocates warn that destabilizing these services could force millions of elderly and disabled Americans into costly institutional settings.