SB 917 — AN ACT EXEMPTING VETERANS' FEDERAL PENSION BENEFITS FROM INCOME ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

Senate General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

917250 January Session, 2021 LCOSubstitute Senate Bill No.

3370917 ReferredSenate, toApril 1, 2021 The Committee on VETERANS'Veterans' AFFAIRSAffairs Introducedreported by:through SEN.

(VA)CABRERA ANof ACTthe EXEMPTING17th VETERANS'Dist., FEDERALChairperson PENSIONof BENEFITSthe FROMCommittee INCOMEon ELIGIBILITYthe FORpart PUBLICof ASSISTANCEthe PROGRAMS.Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT EXEMPTING VETERANS' FEDERAL PENSION BENEFITS FROM INCOME ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

(a) To the extent permissible by federal law, the Commissioner of Social Services shall disregard any federal [Aid and Attendance] pension benefits administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and granted to a veteran or the surviving spouse of such veteran when determining income eligibility for the state's Medicare savings, medical assistance and energy assistance programs administered under section 17b-2.

As used in this subsection, "veteran" means any person (1) honorably discharged from, or released under honorable conditionsfromactive service in,thearmedforces,asdefined in section 27-103, or (2) with a qualifying condition, as defined in said section, who has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorablesSB917 from/ activeFile serviceNo. in the armed forces.

250 1 sSB917 File No.

250 dishonorable from active service in the armed forces.

Subsection (a) of section 17b-104 of the general statutes is LCOrepealed No.and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):

3370 1 of 7 Raised Bill No.917 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):

In determining eligibility, the commissioner shall disregard from income [Aid and Attendance] any federal pension benefits administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and granted to a veteran, as defined under section 27-103, or the surviving spouse of such veteran.

(c)TosSB917 beeligiblefor/ cashassistanceFile underNo. theprogram,apersonshall (1) be (A) eighteen years of age or older;

(B)250 a2 minorsSB917 foundFile byNo. a court to beemancipated pursuant to section46b-150;

or250 (C)under(c)To eighteenyearsbeeligiblefor LCOcashassistance No.under theprogram,apersonshall (1) be (A) eighteen years of age or older;

3370(B) 2a ofminor 7found Raisedby Billa No.917court ofto agebeemancipatedpursuant andto thesection46b-150; commissioner determines good cause for such person's eligibility, and (2) not have assets exceeding two hundred fifty dollars or, if such person is married, such person and his or her spouse shall not have assets exceeding five hundred dollars.

Inor determining(C)under eligibility,eighteenyears of age and the commissioner shalldetermines notgood considercause asfor incomesuch [Aidperson's eligibility, and Attendance](2) anynot federalhave pensionassets benefitsexceeding grantedtwo tohundred afifty veteran,dollars asor, definedif insuch sectionperson 27-103,is ormarried, thesuch survivingperson and his or her spouse ofshall suchnot veteran.have assets exceeding five hundred dollars.

In determining eligibility, the commissioner shall not consider as income [Aid and Attendance] any federal pension benefits administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and granted to a veteran, as defined in section 27-103, or the surviving spouse of such veteran.

The commissioner shall not apply an asset test for eligibility under the Medicare Savings Program.sSB917 / File No.

The250 commissioner3 shallsSB917 notFile considerNo. as income [Aid and Attendance] any federal pension benefits granted to a veteran, as defined in section 27-103, or the surviving spouse of such veteran.

The250 CommissionerProgram. of Social Services, pursuant to section 17b-10, may LCO No.

3370The 3commissioner ofshall 7not Raisedconsider Billas No.917income implement[Aid policies and proceduresAttendance] toany administerfederal thepension provisionsbenefits ofadministered thisby sectionthe whileUnited inStates theDepartment process of adoptingVeterans suchAffairs policies and proceduresgranted in regulation form, provided the commissioner prints notice of the intent to adopta theveteran, regulationsas ondefined thein department'ssection Internet27-103, webor site and the eRegulationssurviving Systemspouse not later than twenty days after the date of implementation.such veteran.

The Commissioner of Social Services, pursuant to section 17b-10, may implement policies and procedures to administer the provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures in regulation form, provided the commissioner prints notice of the intent to adopt the regulations on the department's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not later than twenty days after the date of implementation.

A disposition of property ordered by a court shall be evaluated insSB917 accordance/ withFile theNo. standards applied to any other such disposition for the purpose of determining eligibility.

The250 commissioner4 shallsSB917 establishFile the standards for eligibility for medical assistance at one hundred forty-three per cent of the benefit amount paid to a household of equal size with no income under the temporary family assistance LCO No.

3370250 4in ofaccordance 7with Raisedthe Billstandards No.917applied programto inany theother appropriatesuch regiondisposition for the purpose of residence.determining eligibility.

InThe determiningcommissioner eligibility,shall establish the commissionerstandards shallfor noteligibility considerfor asmedical incomeassistance [Aidat andone Attendance]hundred anyforty-three federalper pensioncent benefitsof grantedthe benefit amount paid to a veteran,household asof definedequal insize sectionwith 27-103,no orincome under the survivingtemporary spousefamily ofassistance suchprogram veteran.in the appropriate region of residence.

In determining eligibility, the commissioner shall not consider as income [Aid and Attendance] any federal pension benefits administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and granted to a veteran, as defined in section 27-103, or the surviving spouse of such veteran.

For coverage dates on or after January 1, 2014, the department shall use the modifiedsSB917 adjusted/ grossFile incomeNo. financial eligibility rules set forth in Section 1902(e)(14) of the Social Security Act and the implementing regulations to determine eligibility for HUSKY A, HUSKY B and HUSKY D applicants, as defined in section 17b-290.

Persons250 who5 aresSB917 determinedFile ineligible for assistance pursuant to this section shall be providedawrittenstatementnotifyingsuchpersonsoftheirineligibility LCO No.

3370250 5modified adjusted gross income financial eligibility rules set forth in Section 1902(e)(14) of 7the RaisedSocial BillSecurity No.Act and the implementing regulations to determine eligibility for HUSKY A, HUSKY B and HUSKY D applicants, as defined in section 17b-290.

917Persons who are determined ineligible for assistance pursuant to this section shall be providedawrittenstatementnotifyingsuchpersonsoftheirineligibility and advising such persons of their potential eligibility for one of the other insurance affordability programs as defined in 42 CFR 435.4.

(l) In determining eligibility for the programdescribed in this section, the commissioner shall not consider as income [Aid and Attendance] any federal pension benefits administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and granted to a veteran, as defined in section 27-103, or the surviving spouse of such veteran.

In determining eligibility, the commissioner shall not consider as income [Aid andandAttendance]any Attendance]federal anypensionbenefitsadministered federalby pensionthe benefitsUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs and granted to a veteran,asdefined under section27-103,orthesurviving spouse ofsuch veteran.

The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with thesSB917 provisions/ ofFile chapterNo. 54, to implement the provisions of this subsection.

250 6 sSB917 File No.

250 the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this subsection.

3 July 1, 2021 17b-191(c) LCOSec. No.

3370 6 of 7 Raised Bill No.

917 Sec.