CT Commission on Aging Fact Sheet
February 2011
CT Commission on Aging
Impact of Governor Malloy’s Budget Proposal on Older Adults and their Families (February 22, 2011)
Fact Sheet: Impact of Governor Malloy’s Budget Proposal
on Older Adults and their Families (February 22, 2011)
Background
On February 16, 2011 Governor Malloy released his proposal for the FY ’12‐’13 state budget. Following is a selective list of his proposals, with associated impact statements.
Budgetary Proposals that Impact Older Adults (note: list not comprehensive)
Changes to Selected Programs
Money Follows the Person (MFP): The proposal includes an effort to dramatically increase transitions under MFP – to 2251 individuals in the biennium.
CT Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE): The proposal seeks to increase cost‐sharing for the state‐funded program, from 6% to 15% (a return to the rate in force from 1/1/10‐6/30/10). It also would freeze intake to Category 1 of the state‐funded program.
• Projected savings: $5.5M in FY ’12, $5.8M in FY ’13 for the cost‐sharing; $1.8M in FY ’12, $2.1M in FY ’13 for the intake freeze.
• Category 1 is targeted to individuals at risk of hospitalization or short‐term nursing facility placement if preventive home care services are not provided.
• According to DSS, CHCPE saved the state $101 million in FY ’08 by avoiding nursing home placements.
ConnPACE: The proposal eliminates ConnPACE for all Medicare‐eligible individuals as a result of the significant expansion in eligibility guidelines for the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP).
• Projected savings: $4.4M in FY ’12, $4.1M in FY ’13.
• There are currently about 30,000 ConnPACE enrollees, with a current‐year appropriation of about $9.5M – an average cost of $317 per person. Coverage will remain for the 110 clients who are otherwise ineligible for an MSP.
Changes to Medicaid
Copayments for Dually‐Eligibles: The proposal increases the cap on prescription copayments for individuals receiving both Medicare and Medicaid (i.e., low‐income older adults and persons with disabilities). The cap would rise from $15/month to $25/month.
• Projected savings: $2.2M in FY ’12, $2.3M in FY ’13.
• Connecticut has about 100,000 dually‐eligible individuals.
Medicaid Cost‐Sharing: The proposal would require Medicaid enrollees to pay copayments for most medical services and prescription drugs. The copays would be limited to 5% of income for
medical services and $20 for prescriptions.
• Projected savings: $8.3M in FY ’12, $9.5M in FY ’13.
CT Commission on Aging Fact Sheet
February 2011
CT Commission on Aging
Impact of Governor Malloy’s Budget Proposal on Older Adults and their Families (February 22, 2011)
Dental Services: The proposal would limit routine dental services to adults on Medicaid to once per year.
• Projected savings: $9.8M in FY ’12, $10.3M in FY ’13.
Vision Services: The proposal limits eyeglasses to once every two years for Medicaid enrollees.
• Projected savings: $825K in FY ’12, $950K in FY ’13.
Marital Assets for Community Spouses: Legislation from 2010 increased the amount of assets that the spouse of someone in an institution under Medicaid could retain. The proposal would reverse
this change, allowing spouses to keep half of the liquid marital assets, up to a maximum limit of
$109,560.
• Projected savings: $29.3M in FY ’12, $32M in FY ’13.
Nonemergency Medical Transportation: The proposal changes the way nonemergency medical transportation is provided, using stretcher vans instead of ambulances.
• Projected savings: $6.3M in FY ’12, $7M in FY ’13.
Personal Needs Allowance: The proposal reduces the amount of finds nursing home residents are allowed to retain each month from $69/month to $60/month.
• Projected savings: $1.9M in FY ’12, $2M in FY ’13.
• These funds are generally used by residents for phone/TV service, clothing and grooming.
Other Proposed Changes
Charter Oak Health Plan: The proposal would continue to limit premium assistance to those enrolled by June, 2010, instead of reinstating assistance on July 1. Additionally, it reduces this
premium assistance for those who do receive it.
• Projected savings: $7.2M in FY ’12, $12.4M in FY ’13 for the continued limit; $4.8M in FY ’12 and $4.9M in FY ’13 for the reduced assistance.
• New premium assistance: As of 2/1/11, 5687 (64% of) Charter Oak enrollees are over the age of 50. Of those, 1059 would have become eligible for premium assistance on July 1 and would not
receive that assistance under this proposal.
• Current premium assistance: 3376 of the 5363 Charter Oak enrollees who currently receive premium assistance are over the age of 50 and would likely have increased premiums due to
this proposal.
Cost of Living Adjustments: The proposal eliminates COLAs for recipients of TFA, SAGA and Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled.
• Projected savings: $6.3M in FY ’12, $12.5M in FY ’13.
State‐funded SNAP: The proposal reduces these state‐funded food benefits for non‐citizens, from 75% to 50% of what the federal benefit would be for each individual.
• Projected savings: $478K in FY ’12, $675K in FY ’13.
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