Kentucky families raise alarms over Medicaid budget cuts and potential reductions to community-based care

Families across Kentucky who depend on Medicaid for long-term support and services said they are concerned about state budget cuts that could reduce community-based care options, leaving some people without the supports they use now. The concerns, described by caregivers in communities statewide, focus on whether changes tied to the state budget process could limit eligibility, reduce provider capacity, or cut back on services delivered outside institutions. Several families described how Medicaid-funded supports are built into their routines, from care coordination to day-to-day assistance and related therapies. One caregiver, Katie Bentley, said her son, Will, relies on a Medicaid waiver and that she is worried state budget cuts could slash services. Bentley’s remarks reflect a broader theme in the coverage: for families managing disabilities or ongoing medical needs, community-based care can be the difference between living at home with supports and facing disruptions that can follow when services are reduced. The report also indicates that families are not only focused on whether Medicaid will continue to cover care, but on how the delivery of that care could change if budget reductions affect the programs that operate in community settings. Community-based care is typically designed to help individuals receive services in their home and local communities rather than in more restrictive settings. Advocates and caregivers have repeatedly emphasized that waiver programs and other Medicaid supports are designed around individual needs and care plans. In the context of Kentucky’s budgeting discussions, families told WKYT they fear that any reduction could lead to fewer appointments, longer waits, fewer available providers, or the loss of services that have been essential to maintaining stability. As lawmakers move through the state’s budget process, the immediate question raised by families is what the cuts would mean in practice. The coverage points to uncertainty over how quickly changes could take effect, what services might be reduced, and how families will be notified if eligibility rules or service authorizations are altered. For families seeking to understand what happens next, the practical focus remains on program details: whether Medicaid waiver services and community-based supports will be protected, what specific programs could face reductions, and what steps the state and providers will take to ensure people already enrolled do not lose access without due notice.

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