One Face That Severe Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP Will Affect

I listened to the reading of the big beautiful bill last Sunday night (6/30/25). I managed to get in on the part where they were reading about changes to the SNAP program. I also have read the parts that will pertain to my household if this passes. So don't come at me with doubts about how they aren't going to do this or they aren't going to do that.

Under the current way the SNAP program is caregivers of adult disabled dependents are a protected class meaning that we are exempt from work requirements. Under the proposed changes I will lose that status. If my son were still under 18, I would be okay.

Just one of many impacted by this legislation (photo used with permission).

There will be significant cuts to the medicaid program. Again I have read the parts of the bill that pertain to this issue so so don't try to gaslight me.

How the deep cuts to the home and community based supports will impact the waiver program I am still keeping an eye on.

The issue with me losing SNAP benefits is this. My son will be eligible because he is disabled. I do get paid via the waiver program to take care of him. Due to the way that it is structured the state only allows me 8 hrs a week for paid caregiving. That is 8 hrs a week at $17 an hr.

I get no health insurance because I don't qualify for the ACA due to not making enough or Medicaid because currently caregivers of adult disabled dependents aren't a protected class with respect to Medicaid.

If I work more than what I am currently being paid for taking care of my son, then that becomes income that would report for housing assistance. With his SSI, we are able to make the monthly expenses. Without the assistance we get with respect to housing paying the full market rate for our unit would make things tighter.

The little bit we get from SNAP helps us get through each month. The slightest adverse change will affect our household and not in a positive way.

There are still close to now 6,000 Kansans waiting 10 years at least for HCBS (Home and Community Based Services, under Medicaid). They need to know how the cuts are going to affect their already too long wait list time.

There are real people out here concerned about how this will impact our lives and those who depend on us to care for them. We are where we are with respect to the services we get not because I refuse to work. We are where we are because it doesn't pay for me to work due to the services we need for my son until after I am gone.

[Update: The Senate passed an amended version of the budget measures on Wed, July 1 and returned it to the House. The author is watching carefully what changes are made. There isn’t much reason to be optimistic, though.]

This article by Joe Cheray, Chair of the Disability Issues Caucus of Kansas Democrats. Photo is of an esteemed person in Joe’s life, used with permission.

Article and photo are published CC 4.0 BY-NC-ND