As states follow Trump’s Medicaid fraud playbook, people with disabilities struggle to find care

Article excerpt

Jennifer Kucera, who has spinal muscular atrophy and relies on Medicaid-funded care, endured abuse at a nursing home just blocks from her current Ohio home, scabies, physical assault, and sexual abuse she says went unaddressed. Her case mirrors a broader problem as states adopt what critics call "Trump's Medicaid fraud playbook," cutting care payments and provider reimbursements that leave people with disabilities struggling to access basic services like bathing and dressing. The policy shifts, framed by proponents as fraud prevention, are making it harder for vulnerable populations to find willing caregivers.