Medicaid Work Requirements can cause family caregivers to lose their health coverage, putting their health and the health of the older adults they care for in jeopardy.

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, our thoughts are on families and the 40 million family caregivers who provide care to an adult family member. Medicaid is an important source of health insurance coverage for those family caregivers who do not have access to other affordable coverage options. However, many states are in the process of designing or implementing policies that require family caregivers and others who are eligible for Medicaid to work a certain number of hours per month or qualify for an exemption to maintain their health coverage.

Implications for family caregivers

Low-income family caregivers may be unable to work sufficient hours at a paid job because of their caregiving responsibilities and may not qualify for the state's exemptions. As a result, many will lose access to health care they need to maintain their own health, harming both their own well-being and the well-being of the older adults they care for.

A new Justice in Aging issue brief provides a state-by-state survey of how Medicaid work requirements apply to family caregivers and explains the harms they will cause to family caregivers and the older adults they care for.