Eligibility Policy Manual

Transmittal #33

Subject: Annual Update: 2007 COLA, Medicare, FBR & Community Spouse Standard Increases

Implementation Date: January 1, 2007

Effective with this transmittal, the manual is revised to reflect the increases that are effective on January 1, 2007:

• Social Security benefits increased 3.3%, which affects the FBR, ALTCS income limit and the 300% and 15% of FBR Personal Needs Allowance;
• The increases in Medicare premiums;
• Increases in the monthly and annual Student Earned Income Exclusions; and
• Community spouse CSRD standards and MMMNA figure that are updated each year.

2007 FBR and other COLA Increase Figures:

Federal Benefit Rate, Individual/Single Parent Allocation $ 623.00
Federal Benefit Rate, Couple/2 Parent Allocation $ 934.00
Federal Benefit Rate, 300% $ 1,869.00
Institutional Personal Needs Allowance $ 93.45
HCBS Personal Needs Allowance $ 1,869.00
Child Allocation $ 312.00
Medicare Part B Premium $ 93.50
Medicare Part A Premium < 30 qtrs $ 410.00
Medicare Part A Premium > 30 qtrs and < 39 qtrs $ 226.00
Minimum CSRD $20,328.00
Maximum CSRD $101,640.00
Maximum MMMNA $ 2,541.00
Student Earned Income Exclusion: Monthly $ 1,510.00
Student Earned Income Exclusion: Annual $ 6,100.00

More information about the Medicare deductibles and co-payments can be found in Medicare's Website address at http://www.medicare.gov.

The manual sections revised to reflect the January 1, 2007 changes are:

MS 610.02- Revised to reflect the monthly and annual Student Earned Income Exclusions that are effective on January 1, 2007.

MS 611.02, MS 611.03 and MS 611.04- The examples for calculating income eligibility for ALTCS have been revised with the January 1, 2007 FBR amounts.

MS 612.01- The examples for calculating income eligibility for SSI-MAO have been revised with the January 1, 2007 FBR amounts.

MS 615.00- The tables regarding the FBR amounts have revised to reflect the January 1, 2007 FBR amounts.

MS 708.01, MS 708.03, MS 709.00, MS 711.00- Revised to reflect CSRD standards and MMMNA figure that are effective January 1, 2007.

MS 1203.09.C- Example 3 is revised to reflect the 2007 Medicare Part B premium amount.

MS 1204.00- The tables regarding the SOC standards have been revised to reflect the January 1, 2007 FBR amounts.

Process Chapter 2, How to Determine the Countable Title II Income for Pickle â€" The COLA table (used to determine the amount of concurrent SSA and SSI amounts) is revised to reflect the COLA increase that is effective January 1, 2007.

The Eligibility Standards Desk Aid is updated to reflect the increases that are effective January 1, 2007. The desk aid is issued as a reference and should be placed where it is easily available.

Top of Page