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


		MassHealth
		Eligibility Letter 154
		October 15, 2006


TO:	MassHealth Staff

FROM:	Beth Waldman, Medicaid Director

RE:	Annual Change to the Federal Standard Maintenance Allowance and 
Standard Shelter Expense
	

This letter transmits revised regulations about the annual increase to the federal 
standard maintenance allowance from $1,604 to $1,650 and the standard shelter expense 
from $482 to $495.

In addition, revisions to 130 CMR 520.026(B)(1)(b)(ii) that were issued in Eligibility 
Letter 140 and then inadvertently changed back to previous amounts, have been 
reinstated.

These emergency regulations are effective July 1, 2006.



	MANUAL UPKEEP

Insert	Remove	Trans. By

520.026 (1 of 5)	520.026 (1 of 5)	E.L. 145


130 CMR:  DIVISION OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

Trans. by E.L. 154


Rev. 07/01/06

MASSHEALTH
FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY

Chapter 520

Page 520.026 (1 of 5)

(1)  The MassHealth agency determines the MMMNA by adding the following amounts:

(a)  $1,650 (the federal standard maintenance allowance); and
(b)  an excess shelter allowance determined by calculating the difference between the 
standard shelter expense of $495 and the shelter expenses for the community spouse's 
principal residence, including:

(i)  the actual expenses for rent, mortgage (including interest and principal), property 
taxes and insurance, and any required maintenance charge for a condominium or 
cooperative; and

(ii)  the applicable standard deduction under the Food Stamp Program for utility 
expenses.  If heat is included in the rent or condominium fee, this amount is $287.  If 
heat is not included in the rent or condominium fee, this amount is $474.

(2)  The maximum-monthly-maintenance-needs allowance is $2,488.50 per month, unless it 
has been increased as the result of a fair-hearing decision based on exceptional circumstances 
in accordance with 130 CMR 520.017(D).  

(3)  If the institutionalized individual is subject to a court order for the support of the 
community spouse, the court-ordered amount of support must be used as the spousal-
maintenance-needs deduction when it exceeds the spousal-maintenance-needs deduction 
calculated according to 130 CMR 520.026(B) or resulting from a fair hearing.
(C)  Deductions for Family-Maintenance Needs.

(1)  The MassHealth agency allows a deduction from the income of a long-term-care resident 
to provide for the maintenance needs of the following family members if they live with the 
community spouse:

(a)  a minor child — a child under age 21 of either member of the couple;

(b)  a dependent child — a child over age 21 who is claimed as a dependent by either 
spouse for income-tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code;