As states follow Trump’s Medicaid fraud playbook, people with disabilities struggle to find care Disability advocates say these actions are straining a home care industry already at its breaking point

https://www.statnews.com/2026/06/15/medicaid-caregivers-state-pay-people-with-disabilities/ By O. Rose BroderickJune 15, 2026 Disability in Health Care Reporting Fellow State Medicaid crackdowns strain home care industry Over the past few months, the Trump administration has directed major attention and resources to a campaign against health care fraud. Now, some states are beginning to follow the same playbook. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) is expected to sign a bill tightening restrictions on who receives Medicaid-funded care along with who can provide it — all in a bid to curb fraud. Disability advocates say these actions are adding more strain to a home care industry already at its breaking point. “I would rather die in my own bed than ever go back to a nursing home again,” Jennifer Kucera, an Ohio resident with spinal muscular atrophy, told STAT’s O. Rose Broderick. Kucera needs around-the-clock care from Medicaid-funded providers to help her bathe, dress, and otherwise navigate her life. But she’s worried about the availability of home care providers and the looming possibility of being forced to live in a home.