By MICHAEL MARTZ
Richmond Times-Dispatch
RICHMOND â Yolanda Ross was happy to receive a check she had long awaited from Virginiaâs Medicaid program as hazard pay for working as a home health worker during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Ross, who makes less than $10 an hour while caring for her disabled adult son in their home in Henrico County, had expected a check for $1,500.
After taxes, she received $971 â a 35% bite.
âIt was a little surprising how much got taxed on it,â Ross said.
The first checks began arriving early this month, almost three months after Gov. Ralph Northam promised the one-time payments to more than 43,000 home health workers who care for Medicaid recipients in their homes instead of institutions.