Bill Text: CT SB00770 | 2017 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: An Act Increasing The Personal Needs Allowance For Long-term Care Facility Residents.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-17 - Referred by Senate to Committee on Appropriations [SB00770 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2017-SB00770-Comm_Sub.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 770
January Session, 2017		LCO No. 3301
		*_____SB00770AGE___022117____*
Referred to Committee on AGING
Introduced by:
(AGE)

AN ACT INCREASING THE PERSONAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE FOR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY RESIDENTS.

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

Section 1. Section 17b-106 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2017):

(a) On January 1, 2006, and on each January first thereafter, the Commissioner of Social Services shall increase the unearned income disregard for recipients of the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program by an amount equal to the federal cost-of-living adjustment, if any, provided to recipients of federal Supplemental Security Income Program benefits for the corresponding calendar year. On July 1, 1989, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall increase the adult payment standards over those of the previous fiscal year for the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program by the percentage increase, if any, in the most recent calendar year average in the consumer price index for urban consumers over the average for the previous calendar year, provided the annual increase, if any, shall not exceed five per cent, except that the adult payment standards for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1993, June 30, 1994, June 30, 1995, June 30, 1996, June 30, 1997, June 30, 1998, June 30, 1999, June 30, 2000, June 30, 2001, June 30, 2002, June 30, 2003, June 30, 2004, June 30, 2005, June 30, 2006, June 30, 2007, June 30, 2008, June 30, 2009, June 30, 2010, June 30, 2011, June 30, 2012, June 30, 2013, June 30, 2016, and June 30, 2017, shall not be increased. Effective October 1, 1991, the coverage of excess utility costs for recipients of the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program is eliminated. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner may increase the personal needs allowance component of the adult payment standard as necessary to meet federal maintenance of effort requirements.

(b) Effective July 1, [2011] 2017, the commissioner shall provide a state supplement payment for recipients of Medicaid and the federal Supplemental Security Income Program who reside in long-term care facilities sufficient to increase their personal needs allowance to [sixty] seventy-two dollars and seventy-five cents per month. Such state supplement payment shall be made to the long-term care facility to be deposited into the personal fund account of each such recipient. For the purposes of this subsection, "long-term care facility" means a licensed chronic and convalescent nursing home, a chronic disease hospital, a rest home with nursing supervision, an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities or a state humane institution.

Sec. 2. Section 17b-272 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2017):

Effective July 1, [2011] 2017, the Commissioner of Social Services shall permit patients residing in nursing homes, chronic disease hospitals and state humane institutions who are medical assistance recipients under sections 17b-260 to 17b-262, inclusive, 17b-264 to 17b-285, inclusive, and 17b-357 to 17b-361, inclusive, to have a monthly personal fund allowance of [sixty dollars] seventy-two dollars and seventy-five cents.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2017	17b-106
Sec. 2	July 1, 2017	17b-272

AGE

Joint Favorable