This is the kind of week that doesn't make headlines. Bills move through committees. Reports get drafted. Agencies do the work of writing rules. Worth flagging three threads as they develop.
State caregiver tax credit bills, still moving
Twelve states are considering caregiver tax credit legislation in the 2026 session. The HHS ASPE federal-and-state review remains the best running tracker. To date, five states have enacted programs: Oklahoma (2023), Nebraska (2024), and three others — California, Maryland, and New Jersey — have state-level tax benefits with varying eligibility and reimbursement structures. Bills are pending in Connecticut, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, among others.
The 2026 session is the first in which the federal Credit for Caring Act has moved alongside such a broad state-level wave. The two together would represent the most material shift in caregiver financial support since the original Family and Medical Leave Act.
The OBBBA implementation timeline holds
States have until January 1, 2027, to adopt the new 80-hours-per-month Medicaid community engagement requirements. CMS is expected to issue an interim final rule by June. As we noted last week, the Urban Institute's projections suggest the administrative burden of compliance will disenroll many caregivers even when they technically qualify for exemptions.
The most useful thing a caregiver on Medicaid can do this year is to verify that their state's renewal materials include a checkbox for "caregiver of a child 13 and under or a disabled adult." Several states have not yet updated their forms.
Ten days until Valuing the Invaluable
AARP's 2026 update to the Valuing the Invaluable report is expected on or around March 26. The new methodology — using an updated hourly wage benchmark — will move the headline figure into the trillion-dollar range. The headline will get the coverage. The methodology footnotes are where the interesting reading is.
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