Aging in America News

| Q & A with Jason Resendez

| Jason Resendez leads the National Alliance for Caregiving, which studies and supports Americans who care for someone with a chronic illness, medical complexity, disability, or other health care needs. He spoke to Aging in America News about the dire consequences of the budget reconciliation bill—officially known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The big news this week was the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, and obviously it’s discouraging. How would you describe what we’re looking at now?

We’re looking at a drastic rollback of Medicaid coverage for working-class Americans to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-rich. This will disproportionately impact family caregivers and those shouldering care responsibilities—from parents to caregivers of older adults. Congress voted to weaken America’s already inadequate caregiving and long-term care infrastructure. I won’t sugarcoat it: this is a devastating setback for families who rely on Medicaid to make caregiving possible. This also sets up a fierce battle in the coming years to restore hard-won gains in coverage and access to home and community-based services. At the same time, I’m in awe of the care movement’s strength and resilience. The ground is shifting under us like never before, but we’re still standing. I’m confident the drumbeat for care will only grow louder. It has to.

The hidden casualties of Medicaid cuts: America’s family caregivers (Michelle Lujan Grisham and Jason Resendez)

What about the $50 billion rural health fund for rural hospitals?

That’s nothing in comparison to the amount of money that they would need in order to provide even the baseline amount of care that they’re providing today. And that’s also not permanent. The stabilization fund for rural hospitals will phase out, while these cuts are permanent. We know rural caregivers face unique barriers to accessing quality care and less funding for rural hospitals will only make these disparities worse.

Will red and blue states fare differently?

Medicaid crosses all political boundaries, but red states like Louisiana and West Virginia have some of the highest enrollment rates. These states will be hit hardest by reduced funding and new barriers like work requirements that will limit access to care

Soon the advocacy and community will be focused on the midterms and holding these representatives to account.

It’s going to be really critical. And I think we’ve started to see that folks like the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Caring Across Generations are really doing work around uplifting care as a political issue for candidates. I expect to see that get more intense and urgent in the coming years.

What consequences do you anticipate for business?

This is tricky because some employers are going to feel the impacts of the crumbling social safety net, especially those with hourly wage workers. Wal-Mart and McDonald’s, for example, are going to have sicker employees and employees that are navigating caregiving without adequate supports in place. Over 60% of family caregivers balance care while working. And of those employed caregivers, over 50% are working full time while providing care. At the same time, shareholders and billionaires will benefit from the tax cuts. Remember, this bill is not working to improve the Medicaid program. It’s working to pay for tax cuts for the ultra wealthy and for corporations.

Taking a step back, how do you describe caregiving and what it means to the economy?

Caregiving means showing up for people in your life who need support to navigate serious illness, disability, or aging in their homes and communities. This might involve helping someone get to the grocery store or a medical appointment, managing their finances, changing a feeding tube, or cleaning a port for critical medications. Caregiving takes many forms, but it’s all rooted in support and devotion for friends, family, and community. From our first breath to our last, care is a constant in our lives.

What is your personal connection to care?

My mom was a ‘sandwich caregiver.’ While raising three kids and working full-time, she also cared for my grandmother, who battled multiple chronic conditions—a common situation in Latino households across America. She took on this care out of deep love and commitment to her mom and family, but also because she had no other choice. She showed me both the harsh realities and the joy that come with caregiving. Today, I recognize that the care that my mom provided for my grandmother and the care that I provide for my 3-year-old son are part of a continuum of care that is undervalued and underinvested in. It’s my life’s work to change that.

What toll did that take on her?

My mom’s dreams took a backseat to her caregiving responsibilities. For as long as I could remember, she talked about her dream of becoming a certified public accountant, but she couldn’t finish college because of her caregiving duties. This meant she earned less over her lifetime, which gave us fewer opportunities. Care had ripple effects for her and our family.

What do you have planned for the next Caregiver Nation Summit (Nov. 5-6 in Washington, D.C.)?

This year we’ll focus on insights from our landmark Caregiving in the U.S. data project. The summit will highlight how family caregiving has changed since 2020, when we last released this data. We’ll have sessions exploring key trends from the data, including the increasing intensity of care, the growing complexity of serious illness care, and expanding employer supports for family caregivers. While care is a constant in our lives, it shifts and evolves as families change, so we’re excited to examine these developments. We’ll also be on Capitol Hill reminding lawmakers about the importance of care programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Older Americans Act. People can join us in person in D.C. or online.