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HB 1485

AN ACT to amend and reenact section 50-24.1-02.6 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the personal needs allowance amount for eligible beneficiaries; to provide for an increase in the personal monthly needs allowance; and to provide an appropriation.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Introduced by Sean Cleary and 11 co-sponsors

HB 1485 increases the personal monthly needs allowance for eligible medical assistance beneficiaries by $15 per month for 2025–2027, with annual inflation adjustments and funding p

Filed with Secretary Of State 05/02
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Bill Summary · HB 1485

HB 1485 — Summary (North Dakota)

Status: Filed with Secretary of State 05/02/2025 (enrolled after legislative passage)
Introduced: December 2, 2024
Primary sponsors (House): Representatives McLeod, Rios, Satrom, Schauer, Swiontek, Weisz, Karls, Wagner
Primary sponsors (Senate): Senators Lee, Dever, Hogan, Cleary

Purpose / Intent

HB 1485 updates North Dakota law governing medical assistance eligibility to (1) codify the state’s requirement to provide a personal monthly needs allowance (PNA) to eligible beneficiaries and to require annual review and inflation adjustments, and (2) increase the monthly PNA by $15 per individual for the 2025–2027 biennium. The bill also provides a specific appropriation to fund the increase.

Key provisions

  • Amends NDCC § 50‑24.1‑02.6 (Medical assistance benefits — Eligibility criteria):
    • Confirms the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) must provide a personal monthly needs allowance to eligible medical‑assistance beneficiaries and requires the allowance be reviewed and adjusted annually based on inflation.
  • Increases the personal monthly needs allowance by $15 for each individual covered under NDCC § 50‑24.1‑02.6 for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2027.
  • Appropriation to DHHS to pay for the PNA increase for the 2025–27 biennium:
    • $762,894 from the General Fund (state)
    • $689,466 from federal and special funds
    • Amounts are “or so much as may be necessary” to cover the increase for the biennium.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: medically needy persons who qualify for state medical assistance under NDCC § 50‑24.1‑02.6 — generally persons whose countable income is below the medically‑needy threshold (this includes certain children and family coverage groups and pregnant women as specified in statute).
  • Practically, the increase targets individuals who receive a PNA as part of their public medical assistance (commonly residents receiving institutional/basic care services who qualify for medical assistance and retain a personal needs allowance).

Fiscal and implementation impacts

  • Explicit biennial funding provided: $762,894 GF and $689,466 federal/special funds to DHHS for FY 2026 and FY 2027 (the 2025–27 biennium).
  • DHHS is responsible for implementing the increase and for annually reviewing and adjusting the PNA based on inflation.
  • The increase takes effect for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2027.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The enrolled bill text (conference committee amendments) sets the $15 increase and the appropriation.
  • Legislative vote totals (enrollment): House — yeas 91, nays 2; Senate — yeas 46, nays 1.
  • Final administrative step recorded: filed with the Secretary of State on May 2, 2025.

If you want, I can:
- Extract the exact current and post‑increase monthly PNA dollar amounts in statute (if a baseline number is available), or
- Estimate the number of beneficiaries affected using state caseload data (if you provide or authorize me to use such data).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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