CW: Mental Health
Medicaid cuts are threatening the stability and independence of disabled people and their caregivers. In Connecticut, the proposed rollback of MED-Connect could force thousands of disabled workers to choose between having a job and receiving essential medical care. The program currently allows disabled people to work while maintaining Medicaid coverage, allowing them to live independently and contribute to their communities. Without it, many will lose access to therapy, medications, and personal care assistants.
Karen Healy works part-time at ShopRite in Hartford. She lives with multiple mental health conditions. She had spent decades living in psychiatric hospitals before being discharged in 2014.
“HUSKY C (Connecticut Medicaid) pays most of my meds, and I’m very grateful for that, and some that I still have to pay, but I can’t imagine if I didn’t have my MED-Connect and my working disabled, and I lose my HUSKY C,” Healy told CT Insider. “A lot of my meds are very expensive, and I need them to survive. I need them. I need my job to survive, to live on. It keeps me in a good spot in my life.”
In Colorado, the state plans to lower payments to family caregivers who support adults with severe developmental disabilities. These caregivers, often parents, provide round-the-clock care, saving the state hundreds of thousands of dollars every year compared to institutional care. Despite being cost-effective and dedicated, they are being asked to take cuts that could threaten their ability to provide care at home. Families worry that these reductions will lead to more hospitalizations and institutionalization, which are more costly and less humane.
Minnesota is already feeling the effects. Dependable Home Healthcare, a St. Paul-based company that has provided in-home care since 1991, announced it will shut down in early 2026. This closure will result in the layoff of over 400 employees, including many direct support professionals and personal care aides. The company cited upcoming regulatory changes and reduced reimbursement rates for overnight care as the main reasons for its decision. These changes make it harder for providers to stay financially viable.
The impact of these changes is profound. Disabled people may lose trusted caregivers, experience disruptions in their daily routines, and be forced into institutions. Families who have built their lives around providing care may struggle financially and emotionally. Communities will lose the contributions of disabled employees who are forced to leave their jobs due to the loss of Medicaid support.
These cuts are not just about budget decisions. They reflect a move away from dignity, autonomy, and inclusion. Medicaid is essential for millions of disabled people. Undermining it threatens to undo decades of progress and leave vulnerable people without the resources they need to survive.
Sources:
Braye, KaMaria, and Kyle Brown. “St. Paul Home Care Company to Shut Down in Early 2026, Laying Off More than 400.” KSTP, Hubbard Broadcasting, 6 Nov. 2025, https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/st-paul-home-care-company-to-shut-down-in-early-2026-laying-off-more-than-400/.
Brown, Jennifer. “How Medicaid Cuts Will Hurt Colorado Families Caring for Adult Children with Disabilities.” The Colorado Sun, The Colorado Sun, 6 Nov. 2025, https://coloradosun.com/2025/11/06/developmental-disabilities-medicaid-cuts/.
Villalonga-Vivoni, Cris. “CT Medicaid Cuts Could Force Disabled Workers to Quit Jobs.” CT Insider, Hearst Media Services Connecticut, 6 Nov. 2025, https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/article/ct-medicaid-cuts-disabled-workers-med-connect-21124851.php.