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Read. Follow. Verify.Protecting Married Seniors from Impoverishment Act of 2024
Last action · April 26, 2024: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.Sponsor: Debbie Dingell
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill proposes making permanent the option for states to protect the assets and income of spouses when their partner receives Medicaid-funded home and community-based care. It removes the current expiration date for these protections, ensuring they remain available indefinitely.
This bill determines whether states can continue to allow individuals receiving long-term home care through Medicaid to keep a portion of their income and assets for their spouse, preventing the spouse from falling into poverty due to the cost of care.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Medicaid recipients receiving home and community-based services
Their eligibility for spousal asset and income protections becomes permanent rather than subject to a 2027 expiration.
State governments
States retain the permanent option to implement or continue spousal impoverishment protections for Medicaid recipients.
Key Facts
- The bill amends Section 1924(h)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act to make the spousal impoverishment protection option permanent for states.
- The bill removes the previous expiration date of September 30, 2027, for these protections.
- The protections apply to recipients of home and community-based services under Medicaid, including those under section 1915(c), (d), (i), or (k), section 1115 waivers, and those eligible based on medical expense deductions.
- The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on April 23, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'spousal impoverishment' protection?
Does this bill force states to provide these protections?
What else do you want to know?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Removal of Sunset Provision
The bill shifts a temporary state option into a permanent feature of the Medicaid program, removing the 2027 expiration date.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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