Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Office of Medicaid
600 Washington Street
Boston, MA  02111
www.mass.gov/masshealth

	Eligibility Operations Memo 06-03
	March 1, 2006


TO:	MassHealth Eligibility Operations Staff

FROM:	Russ Kulp, Director, MassHealth Operations

RE:	Average Cost for Nursing Facility Services
		

Introduction	In accordance with 130 CMR 520.019(G)(1), MassHealth must impose a period of ineligibility for payment of nursing facility services when it has determined that a MassHealth applicant or member has made a disqualifying transfer of resources.

When calculating the period of ineligibility, MassHealth uses the average 
cost to a patient paying privately for nursing facility services in the 
Commonwealth.  Periodically, this figure is revised to reflect increased
costs. 

Revised Average Cost for Nursing	Effective February 1, 2006, the average cost to a patient paying privately for nursing facility services in the Commonwealth increased from $232 a day to $246 a day.  The date MassHealth receives the application or eligibility review form determines which of the following amounts to use when calculating the period of ineligibility for a disqualifying transfer of resources.
* If received before February 1, 2006:  use $232.
* If received on or after February 1, 2006:  use $246.

Questions	Please direct questions about information in this memo to the MassHealth Policy Hotline through your MEC designee.