SB1349 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 10348 DRJ 20518 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB1349

Introduced 2/10/2009, by Sen. Rickey R. Hendon

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

305 ILCS 5/5-4

from Ch. 23, par. 5-4

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the notification sent to institutionalized spouses and community spouses by the Department of Human Services in connection with the medical assistance program must include information concerning assistance available to the community spouse. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning public aid.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by changing Section 5-4 as follows:

(305 ILCS 5/5-4) (from Ch. 23, par. 5-4)

Sec. 5-4. Amount and nature of medical assistance. The amount and nature of medical assistance shall be determined by the County Departments in accordance with the standards, rules, and regulations of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, with due regard to the requirements and conditions in each case, including contributions available from legally responsible relatives. However, the amount and nature of such medical assistance shall not be affected by the payment of any grant under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act or any distributions or items of income described under subparagraph (X) of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Section 203 of the Illinois Income Tax Act. The amount and nature of medical assistance shall not be affected by the receipt of donations or benefits from fundraisers in cases of serious illness, as long as neither the person nor members of the person's family have actual control over the donations or benefits or the disbursement of the donations or benefits.

In determining the income and assets available to the institutionalized spouse and to the community spouse, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall follow the procedures established by federal law. The community spouse resource allowance shall be established and maintained at the maximum level permitted pursuant to Section 1924(f)(2) of the Social Security Act, as now or hereafter amended, or an amount set after a fair hearing, whichever is greater. The monthly maintenance allowance for the community spouse shall be established and maintained at the maximum level permitted pursuant to Section 1924(d)(3)(C) of the Social Security Act, as now or hereafter amended. Subject to the approval of the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the provisions of this Section shall be extended to persons who but for the provision of home or community-based services under Section 4.02 of the Illinois Act on the Aging, would require the level of care provided in an institution, as is provided for in federal law.

The Department of Human Services shall notify in writing each institutionalized spouse who is a recipient of medical assistance under this Article, and each such person's community spouse, of the changes in treatment of income and resources, including provisions for protecting income for a community spouse and permitting the transfer of resources to a community spouse, required by enactment of the federal Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-360). The notification must include information concerning assistance available to the community spouse. The notification shall be in language likely to be easily understood by those persons. The Department of Human Services also shall reassess the amount of medical assistance for which each such recipient is eligible as a result of the enactment of that federal Act, whether or not a recipient requests such a reassessment.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.