How has In Home Support Services changed under Trump and RFK? Billions deferred from California in 2026- DIY Hospice on a Heating Planet blog reports

"Deferred billions of dollars in federal Medicaid/Medi-Cal funding for California's IHSS program. This includes an initial $1.1 billion deferral in May 2026, an additional $646.4 million in July 2026." 

This affects me directly. I'm crippled and Homebound and have been trying to get home care for years. My NoCal Republican county is among the worst because GOPers are happy to take the money for govt programs but never work to make the programs work. Last week I realized RFK is in charge of IHSS as Secretary of HHS. No wonder it's gotten even worse recently;

I asked Google "How has In Home Support Services changed under Trump and RFK?" and here is what AI answered.

AI Overview

Under the Trump administration and Health and Human Services (HHS) leadership (including Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.), the federal government has targeted California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program through major funding deferrals and reviews citing concerns over fraud, waste, and abuse: [1, 2, 3]

• Massive Federal Funding Deferrals: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has deferred billions of dollars in federal Medicaid/Medi-Cal funding for California's IHSS program. This includes an initial $1.1 billion deferral in May 2026, an additional $646.4 million in July 2026 (bringing total deferrals to roughly $1.7 billion), and related reviews targeting nearly $867.5 million to $1.3 billion in spending over prior fiscal years. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Fraud Investigations and Assertions: Federal officials argue that the rapid growth of the IHSS caseload (which grew by 17.5% between 2022–23 and 2024–25) and rising hourly costs require strict scrutiny and reviews to combat potential fraud and improper spending. [1, 2, 3]
State Pushback: Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), and state health officials maintain that the fraud claims are unfounded. They argue the program's expansion reflects an aging population, minimum wage increases to combat workforce shortages, and long-standing, federally approved policies encouraging home- and community-based care over institutionalization. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Impact on Workers and Recipients: Labor unions and disability advocates (such as SEIU 2015, Disability Rights California, and Justice in Aging) warn that federal financial pressure threatens the livelihoods of low-income home care providers and jeopardizes care for hundreds of thousands of seniors and individuals with disabilities. [1, 2, 3, 4]

• 

  DHCS (.gov)

  Statement on Latest Federal Deferral of IHSS Funds - DHCS

  Jul 23, 2026 — Statement on Latest Federal Deferral of IHSS Funds. July 23, 2026. CMS is intensifying its actions against California's in-home ca...
• 

  YouTube

  Trump administration withholds nearly $868 million in California ...

  Jul 21, 2026 — YouTube This content isn't available. The Trump administration is withholding about $867.5 million in federal Medicaid funding to ...

  
  
• 

  Disability Rights California

  Federal Deferral of Funds for In

  Federal Deferral of Funds for In-Home Supportive Services is an Attack on the Independence and Wellbeing of Disabled People May
• MEANWHILE

Here is what Kamala said while running in 2020 which was pitifully inadequate, less than what should have been said. But at least she saw the problem was there and said something https://cityofangels25.blogspot.com/2024/09/affordable-child-care-home-health-care.html 

"and our home health care providers, in terms of ensuring that they receive the wages that they deserve based on the Dignity of their work. I have spent time with Home Health Care Providers and their work is some of the most taxing work you can imagine, and I actually –

When my mother was sick with cancer, I did a lot in terms of taking care care of her. And the the work that is about taking care of a loved one in particular an elder is extraordinarily heavy, in terms of the emotional toll, the time it takes.  And we do it because that is what we do.

!!!!!

We need to make sure we have home healthcare workers.

!!!!!!

But not everyone has the ability to take time from work to do it, and they need help. And we need to make sure we have home healthcare workers that can help them.

But I want to get back to the earlier point

How has IHSS changed under Trump and RFK?

https://cityofangels25.blogspot.com/2024/09/affordable-child-care-home-health-care.html