At the Indiana Statehouse on January 22, 2024, citizens gathered to protest against proposed changes to Medicaid. These changes include ending payments to legally responsible individuals, such as parents, who care for disabled family members. The funding helped families unable to find professional home health aides, allowing them to care for their loved ones at home. The payments began as part of COVID-era federal public health emergency measures but are now at risk due to a budget deficit. Advocates and affected families are deeply concerned about the potential impacts of these changes on their financial stability and ability to provide care.
If it were your family, what would you do?
In a startling move that undermines the fabric of our society’s care for its most vulnerable, Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) proposes to slash $300 million from its budget. This cut, tragically, targets funds crucial for families caring for members with special needs.
For years, these payments have been a lifeline. They’ve enabled parents and guardians to forgo full-time employment, dedicating themselves to the complex and compassionate task of caring for disabled loved ones at home. This isn’t merely a financial transaction; it’s a recognition of the invaluable, often invisible labor that sustains our social fabric.
If it were your family, what would you do?
The proposed cuts are not just numbers on a balance sheet. They represent a profound misunderstanding of the interconnectedness of our society. When we strip away the support from those who care for the disabled, we don’t just hurt individual families; we weaken the bonds that hold us together as a community.
Imagine the scenario: parents, already stretched thin, facing the impossible choice of returning to work or continuing to provide necessary care without compensation. The result? Increased hospital admissions, heightened health risks, and a decline in the quality of life for both caregivers and those they care for.
If it were your family, what would you do?
This is not merely an economic issue; it is a moral one. A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members. By cutting these funds, Indiana is taking a step backward, away from compassion and solidarity towards a colder, more transactional view of human worth.
It’s time to stand against such measures. We must advocate for policies that reinforce our commitment to each other, recognizing the dignity and worth of every individual, especially those in need of care. Let’s raise our voices, loud and clear, for a society that upholds the values of empathy and shared responsibility.
The public can comment by email at DDRSwaivernoticecomment@fssa.IN.gov or mail at FSSA Division of Disabilities and Rehabilitative Services P.O. Box 7083, Indianapolis, IN 46027.
You can sign a digital petition here supporting these families.
The FSSA rebuttal is available here.