House File 139HOUSE FILE BY KAUFMANN Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the personal needs allowance for Medicaid 2 recipients. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1431YH 82 5 pf/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 249A.30A, Code 2007, is amended to read 1 2 as follows: 1 3 249A.30A MEDICAL ASSISTANCE == PERSONAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE == 1 4 COST OF LIVING INDEX. 1 5 The personal needs allowance under the medical assistance 1 6 program, which may be retained by a recipient of medical 1 7 assistance who is a resident of a nursing facility, 1 8 intermediate care facility for persons with mental 1 9 retardation, or intermediate care facility for persons with 1 10 mental illness, as defined in section 135C.1, or who is a 1 11 resident of a psychiatric medical institution for children as 1 12 defined in section 135H.1, shall be fifty dollars per month. 1 13 However, beginning January 1, 2008, and each subsequent 1 14 January 1, the personal needs allowance for such residents 1 15 shall be increased in an amount which is based upon the most 1 16 recent cost of living adjustment announced by the United 1 17 States social security administration for the purpose of 1 18 determining social security benefits. 1 19 EXPLANATION 1 20 This bill provides for a personal needs allowance of $50 to 1 21 be retained by Medicaid recipients who are residents, not only 1 22 of nursing facilities but of intermediate care facilities for 1 23 persons with mental retardation, intermediate care facilities 1 24 for persons with mental illness, and psychiatric medical 1 25 institutions for children. Additionally, the bill provides 1 26 for an increase in the personal needs allowance, annually on 1 27 January 1, in an amount that is based upon the most recent 1 28 cost of living adjustment announced by the federal social 1 29 security administration. 1 30 LSB 1431YH 82 1 31 pf:rj/je/5