Thousands of Californians unable to feed, bathe and dress themselves have struggled to find caregivers, prompting the state to swell its in-home care program.
That effort is now being thrown back in its face.
The Trump administration is citing the rapid growth of California’s in-home services as evidence of fraud, withholding more money from it than any other single health program in the country.
The administration has paused $2.2 billion in Medicaid funds to the state, most of that — $1.7 billion — for California’s In-Home Supportive Services, putting the program at risk for cuts.
Public health administrators are also taken aback by the administration’s targeting of home health services, fearing the Trump administration is undermining policies federal and state lawmakers have prioritized for nearly 50 years.
Hagar Dickman, an advocate for long-term services in California at the nonprofit Justice in Aging, said Oz’s comments show a misunderstanding of how personal care works. In most cases, to be eligible for In-Home Supportive Services, a patient must require care beyond what a typical family member with a full-time job could offer.
