Bobby Approved-News-Article

NJACIL New Jersey Association of Centers for Independent Living.

The Official Homepage for Nursing Facility Transition Resources.

NEWS / ARTICLES

News/Articles

• ADA Technical Bulletin: April 2006

• Medicaid Changes 2006

• New Medicaid Home and Community-Based Programs Now Available

• Mainstream Housing Vouchers

Medicaid Changes


	Some Medicaid Changes Re People with Disabilities 1/06 The Congressional Budget Office on January 27, 2006 issued a report regarding Congress' budget "Deficit Reduction Act of 2005." There are MANY parts of this bill, but what follows are only a few that related to persons with disabilities and Medicaid. 1. "Reduce Medicaid spending ... primarily by increasing penalties on individuals who transfer assets for less than fair market value in order to qualify for nursing home care and by making individuals with substantial home equity [$500,000] ineligible for nursing home benefits." 2. "Allow states to scale back Medicaid benefits provided to a limited group of enrollees, mainly adults who are not disabled.... States could not reduce benefits for ... disabled individuals, and ... certain other aged and disabled enrollees who receive long-term care services..." 3. "Allow state Medicaid programs to cover children who meet the disability standard used in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program but are ineligible for SSI because they do not meet that program's income or asset requirements. Eligibility would be limited to chidlren whose family incomes do not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level." 4. "Home and Community-Based Services. States currently use waivers of Medicaid law approved by CMS to provide long-term care services in the home or community to limited numbers of individuals who otherwise would require the level of care provided in a nursing home. The act would allow states to provide certain community-based services, such as respite care and adult day health care, to beneficiaries with income below 150 percent of the poverty level without first getting a waiver. States also would be able to provide benefits to individuals who would not otherwise need to be in a nursing home." 5. "Money-Follow-the-Person Demonstration. The act would authorize a demonstration project under which the federal government would pay a higher share of costs than under current law (78 percent versus 57 percent, on average) for the first 12 months of long-term care services provided in the home." 6. "Authorize a demonstration project to provide home and community-based services to disabled children who otherwise would require psychiatric residential treatment." Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues

© 2006 NJACIL. All rights reserved.

Privacy Statement / Disclaimer

Return to main site