Advocacy Remains Crucial
While a new federal law (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes steep cuts to Medicaid, it is important for you to know that none of Jubilee’s services are in immediate jeopardy. Adults with disabilities continue to rely on Jubilee for the high-quality support that helps them live independently.
Much remains uncertain at this point, but we are sharing the four parts of the law we believe are most likely to impact our Jubilee community.
1. Federal funding for Maryland Medicaid will decrease, but not right away.
The Maryland Department of Health estimates that Maryland Medicaid will lose up to $2.7 billion in federal funding annually when all bill provisions are implemented. Most cuts will be implemented during FY27 and FY28 (July 2026 – June 2028). Maryland’s Governor and General Assembly will need to make decisions about how to address the budget shortfalls that will be worsened by the OBBB Act. This will likely impact the funding rates for Jubilee’s services in future years.
2. Medicaid and SNAP enrollment will get even more difficult.
Most of Jubilee’s clients rely on Medicaid to pay for their Jubilee services and medical care. Many also use SNAP to pay for groceries. The OBBB Act adds work eligibility verification requirements for many Medicaid and SNAP participants. These changes are to take effect by the end of 2026. Although we anticipate that people with disabilities will be exempt from the new requirements, the Medicaid and SNAP offices they rely on will be even more overwhelmed with paperwork. This will likely cause people we support to have lapses in Medicaid and SNAP benefits. Those lapses will hurt their finances and Jubilee’s funding. Jubilee has a highly skilled team helping people stay enrolled in their benefits. We will do everything we can to protect people’s benefits in this unprecedented time. If you are supported by Jubilee and encounter enrollment issues, please contact your Program Manager or Housing Support Specialist.
3. Immigration enforcement will increase.
The OBBB Act dramatically increases funding for U.S. immigration enforcement. Under the new law, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to more than double its agents. Most of Jubilee’s employees are immigrants. Even with lawful U.S. residency statuses, our employees are increasingly at risk of being questioned and detained by ICE. Jubilee hosted a Know-Your-Rights training for our staff earlier this year, and we will continue to support them in every way we can.
4. Jubilee’s hourly employees will see tax savings on overtime pay.
The OBBB Act allows employees to deduct some of their overtime pay for tax years 2025-2028. Jubilee will still be responsible for all employer payroll taxes for overtime pay.