Maintenance Manual Revisions

The Family Support Division announced Income Maintenance manual revisions based upon Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, CMS, and Railroad Retirement 2012 COLA's in IM # 72, dated 12/9/2011 to be effective January 1, 2012.

The Division will be doing mass system changes based on these Federally-derived numbers. Of course our penalty-divisor number that we must use in Missouri has not been announced yet (supposed to be based upon the semi-private room average cost of the cost of skilled nursing home care). Also some numbers are announced at other times such as July 1 of each year for the minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance and April 1 of each year for the Medical Assistance income limit (for non-vendor MO HealthNet).

Here is a summary of some of the changes (please look at the IM yourself for a complete report) found at http://www.dss.mo.gov/fsd/iman/memos_11/im72_11.html:

SSI single $698 (up from $674); couple $1,048 (up from $1,011).

Maximum Monthly Needs Allowance to Community Spouse, $2841 (up from $2,739) --Minimum Monthly Needs Allowance remains unchanged at $1,839 until July 1.

Minimum Community Spouse Resource Allowance, $22,728 (up from $$21,960); Maximum Community Spouse Resource Allowance, $113,640 (up from $109.560).

Maximum Home Equity (for single person), $525,000 (up from $505,000).

Home and Community Based Waiver Standard, $1,220 (up from $1,178).

Medicare Part B minimum premium, $99.90 (up from $96.40, and down for those who became eligible in 2009 and had to pay $110.50 and down for those who became Medicare eligible in 2010 and had to pay $115.40 when no COLA's were given to those receiving Social Security benefits--please note that higher income earners may have higher Medicare Part B premiums).