Resolve, To Ensure Appropriate Personal Needs Allowances for Persons Residing in Long-term Care Facilities

Sec. 1. Personal needs allowance for residents of nursing facilities. Resolved: That, by October 1, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend the rules for the MaineCare program to increase the personal needs allowance for persons residing in nursing facilities. The rules must provide for an increase in the personal needs allowance from $40 per month to $50 per month for the time period from July 1, 2009 to July 1, 2010. The rules must provide for annual increases after July 1, 2010 to reflect annual increases in the Consumer Price Index for medical services. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A; and be it further

Sec. 2. Personal needs allowance for residents of residential care facilities. Resolved: That, by October 1, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend the rules for the MaineCare program to increase the personal needs allowance for persons residing in residential care facilities. The rules must provide for an increase in the personal needs allowance for residents who qualify under the Supplemental Security Income eligibility category from $50 per month to $65 per month for the time period from July 1, 2009 to July 1, 2010. The rules must provide for an increase in the personal needs allowance for all other residents from $70 per month to $85 per month for the time period from July 1, 2009 to July 1, 2010. The rules must provide for annual increases after July 1, 2010 to reflect annual increases in the Consumer Price Index for medical services. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

sUMMARY

This resolve directs the Department of Health and Human Services to amend its rules to provide for increases in the personal needs allowances of residents in nursing facilities and residential care facilities and provide for annual increases after July 1, 2010 that are indexed to the Consumer Price Index for medical services. The rules are designated as routine technical rules.