MS HB558

Patients receiving Social Security Disability Benefits or Supplemental Security Income who are admitted to state institutions for an expected stay of six months or less shall not be required to pay any disability benefits to the institution for care and maintenance.

Patients who have remained in state institutions for more than six months, or who are admitted with an expectation of staying longer than six months, may be required to pay all or part of their disability benefits for care and maintenance costs.

State institutions must allow patients to retain enough disability benefits to cover regular expenses outside the institution, such as home ownership costs, before requiring payment of remaining benefits.

State institutions must maintain documentation demonstrating that disability benefits received from patients were spent on that patient's care and maintenance.

The act takes effect July 1, 2010.