2024 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 17
BY SENATOR MCMATH
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to increase eligibility requirements
for the Medicaid Purchase Plan to the original countable income and asset limits.
WHEREAS, the Medicaid Purchase Plan (MPP) is an optional Medicaid program
that provides healthcare coverage to individuals with disabilities who are employed and meet
specific income requirements; and
WHEREAS, MPP was implemented in January 2004, and provides full medical
coverage, including prescription drugs, hospital care, doctor services, medical equipment and
supplies, medical transportation, and personal assistance services; and
WHEREAS, in order to qualify for the program, individuals are required to: have a
significant disability that matches Social Security standards, be employed, have reached the
age of sixteen but not exceed the age of sixty-five, have countable income and countable
assets below the program limit, and have health insurance coverage, if available at no cost
to the individual; and
WHEREAS, when the program was first implemented, the income and asset limits
for individuals were an annual countable income of less than two hundred and fifty percent
of the Federal Poverty Limit and countable assets of less than twenty-five thousand dollars;
and
WHEREAS, in 2014, significant changes were made to the program that reduced the
countable income to the current limit of one thousand two hundred and fifteen dollars per
month for a family of one and one thousand six hundred and forty-four dollars for a family
of two; and
WHEREAS, the changes in 2014 also reduced countable assets to the current limit
of less than ten thousand dollars; and
WHEREAS, working individuals with disabilities are now only able to make income
just slightly over the regular Medicaid income limits; and
WHEREAS, these reductions have forced individuals with disabilities to choose
between employment and Medicaid; and
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WHEREAS, unfortunately, most of those individuals have chosen to leave their jobs
so that they could continue the much-needed support from the home- and community-based
services they received; and
WHEREAS, work is a fundamental part of adult life for people with and without
disabilities; and
WHEREAS, all MPP participants are tax-paying residents and have contributed a
total of over eight million dollars in federal taxes, including FICA and federal income tax,
and over one million dollars in state taxes since the inception of the program.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to increase eligibility requirements for
the Medicaid Purchase Plan to the original countable income and asset limits, allowing
people with disabilities to receive personal assistance services, get out of poverty, and
participate in and be fully included in their communities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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