PRINTER'S NO. 2301
No. 171 Session of 1987
INTRODUCED BY SAURMAN, BUSH, RAYMOND, FARGO, NOYE, HALUSKA,
TRELLO, MORRIS, DISTLER, BELFANTI, JACKSON, BELARDI, MERRY,
J. TAYLOR, LANGTRY, McHALE, WOZNIAK, MARKOSEK, GEIST,
JADLOWIEC, BUNT, HESS, NAHILL, CARLSON, PETRONE, STABACK,
SCHULER, J. L. WRIGHT, FOX, ARTY, FARMER, VEON, BATTISTO,
HAGARTY, JOHNSON, COLAFELLA, KENNEY, ITKIN, DeLUCA AND
KASUNIC, OCTOBER 13, 1987
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 14, 1987
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing Congress to increase the amount of money available
2 to an individual living in the community when Medical
3 Assistance is paying for the long-term care of the
4 individual's spouse.
5 WHEREAS, Federal law and regulations limit the states as to
6 how much they can deduct from an institutionalized person's
7 income to help the spouse who continues to live at home; and
8 WHEREAS, The deduction for spouse maintenance allows a
9 monthly income equal to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
10 payment; and
11 WHEREAS, The current SSI payment of $372.40 per month does
12 not even meet the Federal poverty level, which is currently
13 $5,500 annually for a single person; and
14 WHEREAS, The noninstitutionalized spouse under the present
15 system suffers undue hardship because of the illness of the
16 institutionalized spouse; and
1 WHEREAS, This Federal law is inequitable and needs to be
2 changed; therefore be it
3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
4 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress of the
5 United States to address the growing impoverishment of the
6 elderly by increasing the amount of income the spouse in the
7 community may keep; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
9 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
10 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
I30L82MRD/19870H0171R2301 - 2 -