HF666

This bill proposes changes to the medical assistance program for employed persons with disabilities in Minnesota. It adjusts eligibility criteria and financial obligations to help ensure those who are disabled can still qualify for medical assistance even if they have earnings or assets that would typically disqualify them from such assistance.

Key changes include:

1. A 65% earned income disregard, meaning the first 65% of a person's earned income does not count towards their income eligibility for medical assistance.
2. Introduction of a sliding scale premium model. Individuals need to pay premiums based on their gross income and family size, starting from 1% of their income at 100% of the federal poverty level up to 7.5% for those with incomes at or above 300% of the federal poverty level.
3. Provisions that allow beneficiaries to retain their medical assistance for up to four months after experiencing job loss or temporary inability to work due to medical conditions, provided they continue to meet other eligibility criteria.
4. Exemptions for American Indians from the premium payments as aligned with certain federal guidelines.
5. Premium adjustments would be recalculated at 12-month intervals or when there’s a significant change in a beneficiary’s income or family situation.

The bill aims to make medical assistance more accessible to employed individuals with disabilities by considering income fluctuations and employment changes while requiring manageable premium payments.