1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to medical assistance; increasing the income 
  1.3             standard for medical assistance; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1998, section 256B.056, subdivision 4.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256B.056, 
  1.7   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 4.  [INCOME.] To be eligible for medical assistance, 
  1.9   a person eligible under section 256B.055, subdivision 7, and 
  1.10  families and children may have an income up to 133-1/3 percent 
  1.11  of the AFDC income standard in effect under the July 16, 1996, 
  1.12  AFDC state plan.  ~~For rate years beginning on or after July 1,~~ 
  1.13  ~~1999, the commissioner shall consider increasing the base AFDC~~ 
  1.14  ~~standard in effect July 16, 1996, by an amount equal to the~~ 
  1.15  ~~percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban~~ 
  1.16  ~~consumers for the previous October compared to one year~~ 
  1.17  ~~earlier.~~  Effective July 1, 1999, the base AFDC standard in 
  1.18  effect on July 16, 1996, shall be increased by an amount equal 
  1.19  to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all 
  1.20  urban consumers for July 1996 through April 1999.  In computing 
  1.21  income to determine eligibility of persons who are not residents 
  1.22  of long-term care facilities, the commissioner shall disregard 
  1.23  increases in income as required by Public Law Numbers 94-566, 
  1.24  section 503; 99-272; and 99-509.  Veterans aid and attendance 
  1.25  benefits and Veterans Administration unusual medical expense 
  2.1   payments are considered income to the recipient.