CHAPTER 882
An Act to require the Department of Medical Assistance Services to study the current Personal Maintenance Allowance for waiver services and the impact of that amount on the ability of service recipients to engage in compensated employment.
[S 213]
Approved April 8, 2020
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. That the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall establish a work group to be composed of such stakeholders as the Department deems appropriate to evaluate the current Personal Maintenance Allowance amount established by the Commonwealth for individuals receiving Medicaid-funded waiver services and the impact of the current Personal Maintenance Allowance amount and other income limits on the ability of Medicaid waiver service recipients to engage in meaningful work and establish and maintain independence. The work group shall (i) evaluate the impact of the Commonwealth's current Personal Maintenance Allowance amount on eligibility for Medicaid-funded waiver services among individuals who otherwise meet eligibility criteria; (ii) compare the Commonwealth's current Personal Maintenance Allowance to actual expenses faced by individuals enrolled in the Commonwealth's Medicaid waiver programs; (iii) determine the impact of the Commonwealth's current Personal Maintenance Allowance amount on the ability of individuals receiving Medicaid-funded waiver services to engage in compensated employment; (iv) determine the impact on eligibility, enrollment, and cost to the Commonwealth of increasing the Commonwealth's current Personal Maintenance Allowance amount; (v) make recommendations related to increasing the Commonwealth's Personal Maintenance Allowance amount; and (vi) make recommendations for other changes to the Commonwealth's Medicaid-funded waiver programs to encourage and support engagement in compensated employment among Medicaid-funded waiver service recipients. The work group shall report its findings and conclusions to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Chairman of the Joint Commission on Health Care by November 1, 2020.