Paralyzed at 7, Chicago lawyer fears Medicaid cuts could cost her independence

For a half-century, U.S. policy has pushed to keep disabled Americans out of institutions. Now Rebecca Anger and others fear that era could end.

CHICAGO — Rebecca Anger has spent much of her life chasing a dream. Not an extravagant one, but the sort that many Americans quietly work toward: a career with purpose, a home of her own and a spouse to share it with. At 41, despite extraordinary obstacles, she has largely built that life.

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She and her husband live in a condo overlooking Lake Michigan, a few blocks from Wrigley Field. They spend their free time cheering on the Cubs, attending concerts and traveling. During the week, she works as a lawyer helping vulnerable Chicagoans stay in their homes.

Increasingly, however, Rebecca is haunted by a question about her future: What will happen if she loses the paid caregivers who lift her out of bed each morning, bathe her, feed her and help her through her workday?