Medicaid
Wyoming lawmakers move to raise Medicaid's $50 personal needs limit for nursing home residents
A Wyoming legislative committee moved to draft a bill raising the monthly personal needs allowance for nursing home residents on Medicaid from $50 to $100 and the asset limit from $2,000 to $5,000.
Key facts
- WyoFile reported on October 2 that nursing home residents on Wyoming Medicaid can keep or spend no more than $50 a month on personal needs like eyeglasses or clothes, and their assets cannot exceed $2,000.
- Members of the Legislature's Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee moved to draft legislation raising those limits to $100 and $5,000.
- The Wyoming Hospital Association president told the committee the low limits are "a big issue for our nursing homes and for the residents," and said about 70% of the state's nursing home residents are on Medicaid.
What happened
WyoFile reported on October 2 that nursing home residents on Wyoming Medicaid can keep or spend no more than $50 a month on personal needs like eyeglasses or clothes, and their assets cannot exceed $2,000. Members of the Legislature's Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee moved to draft legislation raising those limits to $100 and $5,000.
The Wyoming Hospital Association president told the committee the low limits are "a big issue for our nursing homes and for the residents," and said about 70% of the state's nursing home residents are on Medicaid. The increases would cost Wyoming an estimated $1.3 million a year.
What it means for families
Most nursing home residents on Medicaid keep only a small monthly allowance for personal items. Families often end up paying for clothing, haircuts or glasses, and going over the asset limit can put coverage at risk.
For example: a resident whose account creeps above the limit because of a small refund or gift can be at risk of losing coverage. Checking the balance every few months helps avoid that.
What this means in New York: New York sets its own personal needs allowance and resource limits for nursing home residents on Medicaid. Ask your local Department of Social Services for the current amounts.
Quick answers
What Medicaid limits are Wyoming lawmakers trying to raise?
WyoFile reported on October 2 that nursing home residents on Wyoming Medicaid can keep or spend no more than $50 a month on personal needs like eyeglasses or clothes, and their assets cannot exceed $2,000. Members of the Legislature's Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee moved to draft legislation raising those limits to $100 and $5,000.
What to do this week
- If a parent is on Medicaid in a nursing home, ask the business office how much of their personal needs allowance is left each month.
- Check their account balance against your state's asset limit every few months.
- Ask the business office before making any gift or deposit into a resident's account.
Sources
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