Bill
S 482
Raises long-term care residents' monthly personal needs allowance to $113.42, with indexing to state supplemental payment increases, boosting disposable income.
Status: Introduced in the Senate; referred to committees. (See “Legislative actions” below for dates and committee referrals.)
Purpose
- To raise the monthly personal needs allowance (also called personal care allowance) for persons in long‑term care and certain licensed medical facilities in Massachusetts to $113.42, and to ensure that amount is indexed annually to the same increases that apply to state supplementary payments for persons who maintain their own homes.
Key provisions
- Amends multiple Massachusetts statutes that govern public assistance, financial assistance, and medical assistance for long‑term care residents:
- Chapter 117A, §1 — replaces the existing paragraph to require that any person eligible under chapter 117A who is not maintaining a home and is residing in a licensed nursing facility, chronic hospital, rest home, or approved public medical institution shall retain the first $113.42 of monthly income for clothing, personal needs, and leisure activities. If their income is less, the state will pay the difference monthly in advance.
- Chapter 118A — inserts a new Section 7B providing the same $113.42 retention (and monthly advance payment of any shortfall) for persons eligible for financial assistance who are not maintaining a home and are in licensed medical facilities eligible for medical assistance or in licensed rest homes charging a fixed rate.
- Chapter 118E, §15 — replaces the relevant paragraph and increases the personal needs allowance to $113.42 for persons eligible for medical assistance who are not maintaining their home and are in specified licensed facilities (nursing facilities, chronic hospitals, rest homes, approved public medical institutions, public psychiatric institutions). Also amends a later paragraph that formerly referenced “$60” to now read “$113.42.”
- Indexing: The $113.42 amount is to be increased annually each fiscal year at the same time and by the same percentage rate as increases payable to individuals who maintain their own home and receive state supplementary payments under sections 1 and 2 of chapter 118A.
Who is affected
- Residents of licensed long‑term care settings (nursing facilities, chronic hospitals, rest homes, approved public medical institutions, public psychiatric institutions) who receive state financial or medical assistance.
- State agencies that administer MassHealth and state supplemental payments, and providers/facilities that currently collect resident income toward cost of care.
Potential impacts
- Directly increases the disposable income retained by eligible long‑term care residents ($113.42/month rather than prior lower amounts such as the $60 figure cited in the statutes).
- Where a resident’s income is below $113.42, the state will pay the difference monthly in advance — which may increase state expenditures for financial/medical assistance programs versus current law.
- Annual indexing ties future increases to supplemental payment increases, providing automatic modest adjustments over time.
Procedural / timeline notes (from the bill record provided)
- Filed: Senate Docket No. 401 (filed 01/13/2025); introduced in Senate 02/06/2025.
- Committee referrals recorded to Elder Affairs, Judiciary, Health Care Financing, and Education at various steps.
- Hearing scheduled: 07/01/2025, 1:00–3:30 PM (Gardner Auditorium).
- Some listed actions: read twice and referred 02/06/2025; House concurred 04/03/2025; other committee transfers and discharges are recorded in the bill history.
Sponsors and related legislation
- Primary sponsor (state): Senator Mark C. Montigny (petition lists additional Massachusetts legislators as petitioners/cosponsors).
- Related/companion bills: SD 401 (replaces), A 2307 (companion). Prior-session related bills include S.7810, S.7620, S.2296, S.4985.
Note: This summary is based on the text and legislative history provided. The bill updates multiple statutes to standardize and raise the personal needs allowance for long‑term care residents to $113.42 and to index it annually to state supplementary payment increases.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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