For thousands of disabled Ohioans, a family caregiver isn't a luxury — it's what makes living at home possible. Right now, Ohio lawmakers are moving quickly to pass House Bill 795, the so-called SHIELD Act (Safeguarding Healthcare Integrity through Electronic Location Data), which would ban family members from receiving Medicaid payment for providing personal care to their disabled loved ones.

If this bill passes, the consequences could be severe. Disabled Ohioans and their advocates testified before the Ohio House Medicaid Committee that eliminating family caregivers from the Medicaid system would push thousands of people into nursing homes and long-term care facilities — not because they want to go, but because there won't be enough paid caregivers to fill the gap. That means less personal care, higher costs to taxpayers, and the loss of something fundamental: the right of disabled people to live independently in their own communities.

As Jennifer Kucera of the Ohio Olmsted Task Force told lawmakers: "It's not a thing that you can rush through because there will be human damage."

This bill could be voted out of committee as soon as next week. We're urging Rep. Jennifer Gross, Chair of the Ohio House Medicaid Committee, and the full committee to reject House Bill 795 as written — and to take the time to build reform that protects Ohioans from fraud without stripping care from the people who need it most.

Sign to tell Ohio lawmakers: disabled Ohioans deserve to have trusted care at home.