key takeaway
Cuts to Medi-Cal, IHSS, and other essential programs threaten the health, independence, and well-being of Californians with disabilities.
Programs like Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program), In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and regional center programs are vital lifelines for people with disabilities in California. They provide essential health care, support, and community-based services that help people live safely and independently in their communities. Reliable funding for these programs ensures that people with disabilities can access the health care and resources they need to be healthy and thrive.
About 2 in 5 Californians with a disability (43%) received vital health care coverage through Medi-Cal in 2023, according to an analysis of American Community Survey data. This 43% is significantly higher than the 25% of Californians without a disability that had Medi-Cal health care coverage.1The difference in proportions between people with a disability and people without a disability with Medi-Cal coverage is statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Because people with disabilities are more likely to depend on Medi-Cal compared to the general population, any cuts to this funding would disproportionately harm this community.
Other supports, like IHSS and regional center services, are essential for helping people with disabilities live safely and independently in their communities. Almost 2 in 3 IHSS recipients in California were blind or disabled in April 2025 (about 541,700 people), highlighting the importance of this program in keeping people in their homes and avoiding institutional care. Regional centers provide assessments, case management, and connections to services and community resources, supporting people with developmental disabilities to thrive in their daily lives.
What Are in-home supportive services?
The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program provides in-home assistance to seniors, individuals who are blind, and people with disabilities who qualify. Examples of IHSS include personal care (e.g., bathing, dressing, and grooming) and help with meal preparation. By providing this care, IHSS allows participants to continue living safely and independently in their own homes instead of moving to out-of-home facilities.
Whether through Republican-led proposals in Congress or in the governor’s revised state budget proposal, cuts to Medi-Cal, IHSS, and other supports threaten the health and well-being of people with disabilities. Even if some programs, like regional centers, aren’t directly cut, funding shifts and other pressures can destabilize the broader system of support.
Instead of scaling back these essential services, policymakers should protect and strengthen them to ensure that all Californians, including those with disabilities, have access to the services and supports they need to be healthy and thrive.
Hannah Orbach-Mandel contributed to this factsheet.
