Dear CARE Act supporters,

We now have 665 supporters and 740 signatures standing with family caregivers. Thank you!!!!

This week crystallized exactly why state-level protections cannot wait.

Federal Instability

On Monday, January 13th, the administration initiated the termination of approximately $2 billion in mental health and addiction treatment grants affecting roughly 2,000 organizations nationwide. Crisis teams, suicide prevention, overdose response, community mental health clinics - defunded without warning.
After intense bipartisan pressure and national outcry, the cuts were rescinded Tuesday evening. Organizations received confirmation Thursday that their awards remained active.

Victory? No. The message was clear: federal lifelines can disappear at any moment.

Even when cuts are reversed, damage is done. Trust erodes. Staff leave. Families lose confidence. Programs lose momentum.

The ACA Crisis

Enhanced ACA tax credits expired January 1st.

Results:

• 114% average premium increase
• 4.8 million people projected to drop coverage in 2026
• Some families: premiums jumped from $85 to $750/month

Congress is negotiating. Nothing has passed. Families are guessing costs.

Policy Without Substance

On January 17th, the White House released "The Great Healthcare Plan" - a framework, not legislation.

What's missing: legislative text, timeline, implementation details, cost estimates.
For caregivers, we cannot plan our lives around press releases.

The Great Disappearance

You may have heard about the "Great Stay" - workers remaining in jobs despite falling morale. But millions of caregivers aren't "staying" - we were pushed out.
RTO mandates. Inflexible schedules. Performance-managed out. We're part of the Great Disappearance. And we feel the subsidy cliff sharply: no employer insurance, no ACA subsidies, no predictable premiums, no safety net.

Why This Week Matters

In this week's substack, I wrote about my mother asking "Can you take me home?" - reaching for a place that felt safe and stable.

Caregivers are asking the same question. This week proved we can't find stability in federal policy.

The CARE Act: TABOR-Neutral Strategic Strength

Colorado faces a $1.1 billion deficit. The 2026 session will be dominated by fiscal debates. The CARE Act's budget-neutrality and TABOR-neutrality are strategic advantages.

The bill works in every scenario. It's implementable, fiscally sound, and essential for families.

What You Can Do

Read and listen to this week's analysis: https://open.substack.com/pub/therevenueneutralcaregiver/p/our-lives-on-hold-when-home-becomes?r=6a52ih&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Share the petition widely: https://chng.it/DLWncS9wtT

Follow CASI: https://casiadvocacy.org/

Follow Professionals Who Care: https://www.professionalswhocare.org/

Contact your state legislators: Tell them you support the CARE Act

When federal systems destabilize, state protections become essential. Caregivers cannot wait for Washington.

Colorado can lead.

Kindly and Gratefully,

Mark Fukae


The Revenue Neutral Caregiver https://substack.com/@therevenueneutralcaregiver

Caregiver Advocacy Support Initiative (CASI) https://casiadvocacy.org/

Professionals Who Care, Director of Advocacy https://www.professionalswhocare.org/