Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Office of Medicaid
600 Washington Street
Boston, MA  02111
www.mass.gov/masshealth	
	MassHealth
	Long Term Care Facility Bulletin 88
	May 2005

	TO:	Nursing Facilities, Chronic Disease and Rehabilitation Inpatient Hospitals, and Rest Homes Participating in MassHealth

	FROM:	Beth Waldman, Medicaid Director

	RE:	2005 Social Security Benefit Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for Residents of Long-Term-Care Facilities

Background	Effective January 1, 2005, a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increased monthly benefits for most recipients of Retirement/Survivors/Disability Insurance (RSDI) by 2.7%.

Patient-Paid Amount	An increase in monthly income will usually result in an increase to the
Increase for Residents	monthly patient-paid amount (PPA) for residents of long-term-care 
of Long-Term-Care	facilities.  PPA increases must be applied toward claims submitted to
Facilities	MassHealth for January 2005, and for each month thereafter.

	Recently, system-generated notices about the new PPAs were mailed to members, spouses, and responsible parties.  Letter-format notices indicating old and new PPAs for each member were mailed to affected providers.  A notice is not generated if there is no change in the PPA.

Patient-Paid Amount	Effective January 1, 2005, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
Increase for Residents	payment amount for residents of rest homes increased by $12 per month, 
of Rest Homes	resulting in a $12 per month increase in the PPA.  The PPA increase must be applied to claims submitted to MassHealth for January 2005 and for each month thereafter.  The minimum PPA will be $812.

Personal Needs 	The personal needs allowance (PNA) for MassHealth members in nursing 
Allowances	facilities and chronic disease hospitals remains $60 per month.

	The PNA for SSI recipients in rest homes remains $60 per month.

	The PNA for SSI recipients in nursing facilities and chronic disease hospitals remains $65 per month.
	
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Questions	Questions about the information in this bulletin should be directed to the MassHealth Policy Hotline at 617-210-5331.