The Louisiana House of Appropriations met on August 30, 2024. Due to budget deficits for 2025/2026, potential cuts and/or elimination of certain programs for the elderly and those with disabilities through the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) were discussed. [source]
The potential cuts/eliminations could impact pediatric daycare centers for families with medically fragile children, the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which emphasizes enabling participants to remain in the community (as opposed to receiving services while in a nursing home), and Adult Daycare. Other services or programs available for individuals with disabilities or the elderly may be targeted for potential cuts.
The possibility of cuts to funding or elimination of programs may impact elderly individuals and those with disabilities currently and in the future. This could leave them without care and in destitute situations. As people age, they may need assistance when they reach senior age, and disabilities can occur at any time (even Superman, played by actor Christopher Reeve, who was injured in 1995, resulting in paralyzation). What kind of message do these potential cuts send to individuals and families in need due to a family member’s disability or who have come into their golden years and need assistance for some or all of their daily living needs?
- Could these potential reductions be linked to efforts to renew or extend the 0.45-cent sales tax expiring next year?
- If so, why should Louisiana’s most vulnerable citizens be at risk of cuts to achieve government objectives?
- If these potential budget cuts are implemented, does the state have a backup plan to ensure that affected service recipients will receive alternative support?
- If these potential cuts (or similar cuts) were to be implemented, how would that affect families who rely on these services to care for their loved ones, enabling them to work and support their families?
- Would these families need to leave their jobs to care for their loved ones and then rely on government assistance to provide for their families?
- If so, wouldn’t the cost of providing government assistance to these families potentially outweigh the savings from these potential cuts for Louisiana?
- Although these programs are not (and should not be) designed to create jobs, cuts or eliminations of programs that assist the elderly and individuals with disabilities could lead to job losses for those employed within these services.
- The reduction or removal of programs could lead to job losses, prompting affected employees to seek government assistance such as unemployment benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and/or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
- Would cutting budgets and eliminating programs for individuals with disabilities and the elderly lead the state to ignore the needs of its most vulnerable citizens?
To help better understand the impact of cuts and/or program elimination on the needs of 1) children who are medically fragile, 2) citizens with disabilities, and 3) the elderly who need assistance and/or their families, perhaps individuals involved in or responsible for the state budget and potential cuts should be mandated to gain firsthand insight into the daily experiences of those who will lose services due to potential cuts, such as the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and their families, before making decisions regarding budget cuts for services for the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
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Although these potential cuts may not come to fruition, the possibility of any cuts affecting Louisiana’s vulnerable citizens, now and in the future, can be stressful and worrisome for those individuals and their families. If the cuts come to fruition, they would be monstrous for these individuals and/or their families.
