700,000 on Waiting List: The Medicaid Crisis Looming for People with Disabilities

Medicaid, a state-federal health program, has a waiting list of around 700,000 people for home- and community-based services. This program, which costs about $590 billion annually, covers over half of all federal funds to states. With potential cuts on the horizon, states face tough choices: reduce enrollment, cut services, or lower provider payments. These changes could drastically affect the 8 million people using long-term services and supports, costing over $400 billion in 2022. Proposed changes like work requirements, block grants, and per capita caps could reduce federal spending by $135 billion and push 2.2 million off Medicaid over a decade. Such reforms might end the federal government’s role as a financial backstop, shifting more responsibility to states. This could lead to a significant reduction or end of services for people with disabilities, particularly home- and community-based care, which is less expensive than institutional care.

Source: www.statnews.com