Millions of people who live with disabilities – including children, adults and seniors who face difficulty with hearing, vision, cognition, ambulatory, self-care or independent living – rely on Medicaid for essential health coverage and access to services that support their health and help them remain in their communities.
Medicaid is the primary source of funding for disability services across the country, providing care to 1 in 3 Americans with disabilities, according to KFF. A recent report from The Arc found that the program covers more than 75 percent of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including inpatient and outpatient hospital care, physician services, laboratory and x-rays and home health care.
Medicaid’s long-term services and supports (LTSS) and home and community-based services (HCBS) are also instrumental to helping people remain in their homes rather than institutional settings, supporting independence and better quality of life for millions of Americans.
KFF recently highlighted Medicaid’s vital role for Idahoans living with disabilities and their families who rely on intensive daily care, underscoring the importance of maintaining access to these services.
- Medicaid HCBS make it possible for Antahn, who suffers from a seizure disorder,to remain at home thanks to the round-the-clock care he receives from two caregivers who understand his unique needs. “Without the services that he has and the care that he gets now, he would end up in a care center, and frankly, he would die,” says his mother.
- Matty, a 19-year-old living with brain damage and cerebral palsy, receives essential in-home nursing care through Medicaid. Without this support, his family fears they would be unable to meet his needs, as well as those of his brother Luke, who also requires high-level assistance for his autism and epilepsy.
- Through Medicaid-supported services, 21-year-old Eva is able to live away from her parents, maintaining a level of independence while still receiving the care she needs to manage cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities. Eva’s family worries that recent Medicaid program changes could destabilize supported living facilities like hers, threatening her independence and access to specialized care.
Recent changes to Medicaid under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are projected to reduce federal Medicaid funding by $990 billion between 2025 and 2034, significantly impacting states’ Medicaid budgets and putting the future of disability services at risk.
Some states are already contemplating reductions in disability services. In a recent survey of nine state Medicaid agencies in the Western U.S., seven agencies indicated potential reductions in one or more Medicaid-funded disability programs or services, such as case management, home or vehicle accessibility modifications, nursing and round-the-clock care. Respondents also reported uncertainty about states’ likelihood to provide replacement funding, highlighting the vulnerability of disability services when federal funding is reduced.
These findings highlight the potential impact reduced Medicaid funding could have on essential disability services and underscore the importance of preserving the critical health supports and long-term care that 15 million Americans with disabilities rely on.
To learn more about Medicaid’s vital role, visit https://modernmedicaid.org/