AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAID LONG-TERM CARE COVERAGE FOR MARRIED COUPLES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (g) of section 17b-261 of the general statutes, the Commissioner of Social Services shall amend the Medicaid state plan to require that the spouse of an institutionalized person who is applying for Medicaid receives the maximum community spouse protected amount, as determined pursuant to 42 USC 1396r-5. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to implement the provisions of this section.

Statement of Purpose:

To increase the maximum protected amount for community spouses of institutionalized persons applying for Medicaid.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]