Arkansas committee approves bill to exclude employer retirement accounts from long-term-care eligibility calculations

House Bill 18-47, presented by Representative Julie Mayberry with in-room testimony from Shannon Long (speaker 18), would direct the Medicaid agency to exclude employer-sponsored retirement accounts and assets accumulated while on the Medicaid buy-in when determining eligibility for long-term-care supports. Long, who testified as someone enrolled in the buy-in program and a participant in home- and community-based services, said the change would allow people with significant physical disabilities to save and still keep needed supports after retirement.

Long told the committee she had worked, saved and gained financial independence under the buy-in program but that current long-term-care asset rules could disqualify people from waivers once they retire or reach age 65. She cited Department of Human Services data that 194 individuals are on the buy-in and that five are on home- and community-based waivers, and described the change as having small fiscal cost to the state but large importance to affected individuals.

Representative Mayberry closed and asked for a favorable vote; the committee passed the bill by voice vote. The transcript notes the sponsor did not yet have a senate sponsor and asked colleagues for help taking the bill to the floor.