HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 526        FILED ON: 1/11/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 537

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jennifer E. Benson

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to increase the personal needs allowance for residents of long term care facilities.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

1/11/2013

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

 

Mark J. Cusack

5th Norfolk

 

Ann-Margaret Ferrante

5th Essex

 

Martha M. Walz

8th Suffolk

 

Cleon H. Turner

1st Barnstable

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 

Angelo M. Scaccia

14th Suffolk

 

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

 

Stephen L. DiNatale

3rd Worcester

 

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

 

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

 

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

 

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

 

David M. Nangle

17th Middlesex

 

Jay R. Kaufman

15th Middlesex

 

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

 

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

 

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

 

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

 

Kate Hogan

3rd Middlesex

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

16th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 526        FILED ON: 1/11/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 537

By Ms. Benson of Lunenburg, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 537) of Jennifer E. Benson and others for legislation to increase the personal care allowance of residents of long-term care facilities.  Elder Affairs.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 187 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act to increase the personal needs allowance for residents of long term care facilities.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 117A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the second paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

Any person eligible for assistance under this chapter who is not maintaining his home and is receiving care in or residing in a licensed nursing facility, licensed chronic hospital, licensed rest home, or an approved public medical institution as defined in section 8 of chapter 118E, shall retain the first $72.80 of his monthly income for clothing, personal needs, and leisure activities.  If there is no such income or if it is less than the amount of $72.80, such a person shall be paid monthly in advance the difference between such income and said amount.  Said amount shall be increased annually each fiscal year at the same time and at the same percentage rate as increases payable to an individual who maintains his own home and receives state supplementary payments pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of chapter 118A.

SECTION 2. Chapter 118A of General Laws, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 7A the following new section:--

Section 7B.  Any person eligible for financial assistance under this chapter who is not maintaining his home and is in a licensed medical facility which is eligible for medical assistance payments pursuant to chapter 118E or is residing in a licensed rest home to which such person pays a faxed rate, shall retain the first $72.80 of his monthly income for clothing, personal needs, and leisure time activities.  If there is no such income or if it is less than the amount of $72.80, such a person shall be paid monthly in advance the difference between such income and said amount.  Said amount shall be increased annually each fiscal year at the same time and at the same percentage rate as increases payable to an individual who maintains his own home and receives state supplementary payments pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of this chapter.

Section 3. Section 15 of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition is hereby amended by striking the fourth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:--

A person eligible for medical assistance under this chapter who is not maintaining his own home and is receiving care in a licensed nursing facility, a licensed chronic hospital, a licensed rest home, an approved public medical institution, or a public psychiatric institution shall retain the fist $72.80 of his monthly income for clothing, personal needs, and leisure time activities.  If there is no such income or if it is less than the amount of $72.80, such a person shall be paid monthly in advance the difference between such income and said amount.  Said amount shall be increased annually each fiscal year at the same time and at the same percentage rate as increases payable to an individual who is maintaining his own home and who is receiving supplemental payments pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of chapter 118A.