Care Workers Stand to Be Especially Impacted By Medicaid Cuts, Lapsed Health Care Tax Credit

April 3, 2026

Allentown, PENNSYLVANIA - On Tuesday evening, Affordable Pennsylvania held an event for Lehigh Valley caregivers to invest in themselves. Care workers discussed the personal and professional impact of health care cuts while they enjoyed some self-care activities.

"As caregivers, we’re often too busy taking care of others to take care of ourselves. This job is hard enough without having to navigate massive Medicaid cuts and rising healthcare costs. This mini retreat helps give back to the caregiver community who are struggling with rising costs and cuts on top of an already taxing job,” said Lynn, home care worker from Allentown. “Caregivers are the backbone of our health system - we deserve representation that fights for us. It's time Congressman Mackenzie stood up for us by restoring the health care tax credits and reversing his Medicaid cuts."

Caregivers and their patients were already struggling to make ends meet before Republican health care cuts. Nearly one in four Pennsylvania adults are caregivers to family members. Eighty percent of family caregivers pay out of their own pockets to help meet the needs of their loved ones, averaging 25% of their income. Four in ten Pennsylvania caregivers report financial setbacks - including borrowing money from friends/family, leaving bills unpaid or late, and using up personal savings - and 7 in 10 are also juggling full- and part-time jobs to make ends meet.

Last year, care workers sounded the alarm about Medicaid cuts in the Republican Tax Law and the devastating impact they would have on Pennsylvania's patients, providers, health care system, and economy. Congressman Ryan Mackenzie still voted for the Republican Tax Law, which makes historic cuts to Medicaid, turning his backs on our seniors, disabled community, and caregivers to give bigger tax breaks to billionaires. Medicaid provides health coverage to almost 3 million Pennsylvanians, including over 160,000 in PA-07, and plays a critical role in compensating caregivers for the care they provide. Medicaid is the primary payer for long-term care services, including home care and pays for the care of roughly 148,000 Pennsylvanians. These cuts will skyrocket the cost of care, and threaten livable wages for caregivers.

Congressman Mackenzie also failed to extend health care tax credits that benefited 21,000 of his constituents before they expired, jacking up Pennie costs by an average of 178% for his constituents - the second highest price hike across Pennsylvania's 17 congressional districts. Many caregivers, both professional and informal, rely on the ACA for health care coverage. Their inability to access affordable health care has ripple effects throughout the health system, impacting them, their patients, and all those who benefit from their care.

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