With the COVID-19 public health emergency over, some states have stopped family caregiver payments while others have not made permanent decisions on their programs.

A total of 39 states, with the help of the federal government, either started paying family caregivers or expanded the list of those eligible for such payments in recent years, according to a survey by KFF, a non-profit that studies health care issues.

“For each state, there’s a different story as to how this played out,” said Alice Burns, associate director of KFF’s program on Medicaid and the uninsured.

The program was designed to provide a continuation of care, while addressing a home health worker shortage that was aggravated during COVID-19. Families say hiring an outside caregiver is not always an option, citing high turnover and waiting lists.

The pay rates and who could be paid varied, as did which patients whose family members were eligible for the programs. But those who got paychecks through this effort say the money reduced financial stress, helped provide care and gave dignity to their previously unpaid work.

Federal officials say they are encouraging states to continue family caregiver payments; although existing laws and expiring waivers are taking precedent.

While there are no good national estimates for how many family members received care payments during the pandemic; a report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving says that a total of 53 million people during 2020 provided care for family members with medical problems or disabilities.

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