Substitute Bill No. 344 Summary

• Disregards all federal non-service-connected Aid and Attendance and Housebound pension benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs when determining income eligibility for Medicare savings, medical assistance, energy assistance, Supplemental Security Income, and temporary family assistance programs, effective July 1, 2024.

• Applies to veterans and surviving spouses of veterans as defined in Connecticut law, allowing them to qualify for public assistance without these VA benefits counting against their income limits.

• Increases income disregards for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary, and Qualifying Individual programs to result in eligibility up to 211%, 231%, and 246% of federal poverty level respectively.

• Removes asset tests for eligibility under the Medicare Savings Program.

• Changes language from "not consider as" to "disregard from income" for consistency across multiple public assistance program statutes.