BILL REQ. #:  S-0713.1 

Read first time 01/23/2007.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to increasing the personal needs allowance for persons receiving state-financed care; adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that through the medicaid program, state and federal government fund long-term care and medical services for many elderly persons and people with disabilities, both in institutions and in community alternatives. The legislature also finds that a significant portion of these individuals' social security benefits is retained by the state to assist with the cost of their care. The legislature intends that these individuals retain for their own use a reasonable personal needs allowance which may be used to purchase clothing, postage, barber services, travel, and other personal items not covered by their care setting, in order to ensure their autonomy and dignity.
     (2) It is the intent of the legislature to establish a minimum level for the personal needs allowance, make it equal between institutional and community-based settings, and adjust the personal needs allowance annually to reflect cost-of-living adjustments to federal social security benefits.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 74.09 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Effective July 1, 2007, the personal needs allowance for residents of congregate care facilities such as nursing facilities, residential habilitation centers, and state hospitals shall be an amount not less than sixty-eight dollars and eighty-four cents per month, but not more than the maximum amount allowed under the federal social security act.
     (2) Effective July 1, 2007, the personal needs allowance for medicaid-eligible residents of adult family homes, boarding homes, assisted living, adult residential care, enhanced adult residential care, and group homes for adults with developmental disabilities shall be an amount not less than sixty-eight dollars and eighty-four cents per month. This amount per month should be the combined total of the personal needs allowance and any earnings disregard already allowed by the department of social and health services.
     (3) Effective July 1, 2008, and each fiscal year thereafter, the personal needs allowance shall be adjusted for economic trends and conditions by increasing the allowance by the cost-of-living adjustment for old-age, survivors, and disability social security benefits as published by the federal social security administration. However, in no case shall the personal needs allowance exceed the maximum personal needs allowance permissible under the federal social security act.