Caregivers PAC proposes $5,000 tax credit for New York caregivers

Caregivers United for Equity, a new political action committee, is calling for a $5,000 tax credit for millions of New Yorkers who care for a relative or friend and wants Medicaid rules changed so some family caregivers can be paid. The proposal aims to ease the financial strain of unpaid care as the state’s aging population puts more pressure on families and health systems.

Why it matters: - Caregiving can force New Yorkers to cut back work, use savings and take on debt. - Caregivers United for Equity says the state’s health care and hospice systems depend on unpaid care. - The group’s proposal would directly offset some of the financial burden for an estimated 3.6 million New Yorkers who care for another person.

What happened: - Caregivers United for Equity, a new political action committee focused on caregivers’ needs, proposed a $5,000 tax credit for New Yorkers who care for a sick friend or relative. - The group also wants health care proxies who are primary caretakers to be allowed to receive Medicaid payment. - The proposal was announced in Albany on Sept. 21, 2026.

The details: - The tax credit would apply to approximately 3.6 million New Yorkers who are caring for another person. - Under current Medicaid practice, a health care proxy who is also the primary caretaker is treated as a “conflict of interest” and cannot be paid. - Co-founder Chris Bastardi Martini said caregiving often disrupts careers and forces people to pay expenses out of pocket. - Martini said 47% of caregivers suffer financially, often by taking on debt or using savings to cover costs. - Martini said his own experience included paying tax bills for an aunt from his own funds while she was alive, a practice that continued after her death. - Co-founder Elizabeth Gonzalez said the system relies on unpaid caregivers and warned that failing to address the issue could leave people dying alone without proper end-of-life care. - Caregivers United for Equity says it was established in 2026 to push a broader conversation about caregiving, aging and hardship despite protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act. - The group lists CaregiverTrustNY.com as a contact point. - The announcement also included the Instagram page caregiversunitedforequity.

Between the lines: - The proposal frames caregiving as an economic issue, not only a family obligation. - The Medicaid change would push against a rule that currently treats paid family caregiving as a conflict, signaling a broader effort to legitimize caregiving as work. - The group is trying to turn a private hardship into a public policy fight in Albany.

What's next: - Caregivers United for Equity said it wants lawmakers to start a conversation about financial support for caregivers. - The group is pressing for both tax relief and Medicaid policy changes as first steps. - Any action would require legislative or administrative follow-through in New York.

The bottom line: - The ask is straightforward: pay caregivers more attention, and in some cases, pay them directly.