PERSONAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE

A personal needs allowance (PNA) is the monthly stipend that Medicaid recipients who live in nursing homes are allowed to keep from their income to spend on personal items and services. The PNA is $50, has not been adjusted or increased since the 1980s. $50 in the 1980s is equivalent to $177 today. $50 is all residents are allowed to retain to pay for personal items and services many of us take for granted. The rest of their income, known as a “NAMI ” goes towards the cost of their care.

Medicaid pays for nursing homes to provide nursing services, dietary services, certain activities programs, room/bed, maintenance services, routine personal hygiene items and services, and medically related social services. However, Medicaid does not pay for personal items and services. Such items and services include:

• Clothing and shoes

• Beauty/barber services

• Telephone, cable tv, internet

• Cards to family/friends

• Writing materials (stamps, stationery, cards, etc.)

• Favorite foods or treats

• Gifts to family and/or friends

• Books/reading materials

The Center for Elder Law & Justice and other advocates are calling on New York State to substantially increase the PNA. However, we cannot do this without your voice. Please help accelerate efforts to increase the PNA for persons who live in nursing homes by sharing your story. We want to hear from you!

• What does the current $50 PNA allow you to purchase for yourself or a loved one?

• What would an increase in the Personal Needs Allowance mean to you?

Share you story by filling out the short survey, available at: Personal Needs Allowance - Tell Your Story (jotform.com)

For a paper copy of the survey, please contact Lindsay Heckler, Director of Policy, at (716) 853-3087 ext. 212.