WA-21-0002

Effective January 1, 2021, this amendment adopts a new resource disregard under the authority of section 1902(r)(2) of the Social Security Act. The agency chooses to provide a reasonable timeframe for reducing excess resources accumulated during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) by certain individuals subject to the post-eligibility treatment of income (PETI) rules for long-term services and supports (LTSS). Under FFCRA, these individuals accumulated extra resources, due to no changes being made to their PETI. Income they would have otherwise paid toward the cost of their care resulted in an increase in their resources that began to exceed program standards. This methodology also will prevent an institutionalized beneficiary from having to spend down any such excess resources during the PHE.  This methodology will remain in effect through the twelve months following the end of the COVID-19 PHE.