Hello, I am the official caretaker for my adult son via his Medicaid waiver. It had come to my attention that we are at risk of losing the EVV exemption for live in caretakers like myself. When I first became his official caretaker, I tried to use the log in phone app system. Quite frankly, it was a disaster. I am with my son nearly all the time. It is extremely difficult to remember to log in and log out given I’m literally always on duty. Setting a timer to remember to log in and out is only helpful if you are not in the middle of a task when the alarm goes off. There is no pausing butt wiping or teeth brushing (among a million other daily tasks) to log on or off for the day. Please reconsider. We are already some of the most overworked, overwhelmed people imaginable. Don’t make our lives harder when the purpose of logging in via the app is to make sure we are with our client. We live in/family members are almost always with our “clients” and our worked hours greatly exceed the amount of time for which we are paid. (Honestly, I don’t understand why this is such a significant line item in the budget. I don’t see how our ability to log time online is costing so much.) Thank you in advance for your help.

I am the parent of a 37 year old Autistic young man. I am asking you to please remove the EVV language from this bill. I take care of him 24/7. His needs are not time based. I cook, food shop, do laundry, take him to and from work, medical appointments, hair cuts, by-weekly pedicure appointments, clothes shopping, and anything else he needs. I take him on “play dates “ (game room) on a regular basis. When he doesn’t sleep, neither do I. I’m asking you to please not put anymore stress on me by forcing me to have to clock in and out! I’m on the clock 24/7. I get no sick leave or vacation time.

In 2020 Live-in Caregivers fought for the right to be exempted from using Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) and Delegate Tran sponsored legislation that allowed the exemption to be effective January 1, 2021. The removal of this exemption by the former governor's budget proposal does not have any substantiation for the alleged savings neither from DMAS nor from DPB. (see attached clip from email) Additionally the Interim Secretary for DMAS, Jeff Lunardi told Delegate Tran on February 6, 2026 in an Appropriations Committee, Health and Human Resources subcommittee hearing that there "is not a significant amount of savings" provided by removing this exemption for live-in caregivers. On the other hand, removing this exemption for live-in caregivers causes a great burden on these families who are struggling to provide in-home care. You have to understand the logistics of being a live-in caregiver and the use of EVV. --The EVV system was created to track shift-worker attendant time and movement to help prevent fraud. There is no potential fraud component for live-in caregivers. --EVV tracks location. The live-in caregiver will be at the location, so there is no point in the location tracking aspect. The task tracking is easily verified by other means. --Live-in caregivers are working around the clock far more hours than they are being paid. --Live-in caregivers provide care intermittently throughout the day and night --Live-in caregivers respond to unpredictable needs such as: seizures, elopement, behavioral crises, toileting, medications, and much more. This is NOT A VISIT. Verification of location of care is easily provided and has been in effect for 6 years. To undo this exemption would harm families who are already struggling. The allegation of "fraud" are similar to the gutting of Medicaid and other programs due to unfounded allegations of fraud, waste and abuse. This is not being done in the best interests of the disabled who are served by live-in caregivers but rather thrown out by an exiting Governor without any substantiation for the numbers and that should not be rewarded. Please remove this harmful language from the final legislative budget.: “The Department of Medical Assistance Services shall seek federal authority through the necessary waiver(s) and/or state plan amendments…to eliminate the live-in caregiver exemption from electronic visit verification requirements…” (see Jeff Lunardi's comments: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00304/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260206/-1/21338?startposition=20260206155430&mediaEndTime=20260206155550&viewMode=2&globalStreamId=4)

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation is in strong support of Del. Bloxom's budget amendments to provide funding for the Department of Wildlife Resources. Please see attached.