Medicaid Cuts Could Force More Kids to Become Caregivers

TIME
by Lisa McCarty
April 12, 2026
4 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

Proposed Medicaid cuts could force more children into caregiving roles for chronically ill family members.

How This Affects You

If you or a family member rely on Medicaid Home Care Based Services, you could lose critical coverage starting this October.

AI Summary

The GOP announced proposed healthcare cuts as part of a $200 billion budget bill to fund military operations and expenses for the war in Iran. This comes as 11.8 million Americans are bracing for planned reductions from the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBA), signed into law by President Donald Trump last July. An estimated 4.3 million people who rely on Medicaid Home Care Based Services (HCBS) are expected to lose critical coverage starting this October. These legislative actions could force more of the 5.4 million children currently caring for chronically ill family members into caregiving roles and worsen a mental health crisis among youth. Professor Saul Becker, a UK researcher, suggests the U.S. needs to prioritize the safety and well-being of these caregiving children.

What's Being Done

The GOP announced proposed healthcare cuts as part of a $200 billion budget bill.

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