Thousands of family caregivers who are paid through Medicaid to care for relatives with intellectual and developmental disabilities are facing significant reductions in their hourly wages, cuts that some say could force them to stop providing care at home and send their loved ones to more expensive institutional settings.
Maryland, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, and Colorado have all introduced proposals in 2026 that would dramatically reduce pay for family caregivers and community care workers serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to a STAT News investigation published July 13, 2026.
