MS SB2851

Patients receiving Social Security Disability Benefits or Supplemental Security Income who are admitted to a state institution expecting to stay 6 months or less are exempt from paying any disability benefits to the institution for care and maintenance costs.

Patients remaining in a state institution longer than 6 months, or those admitted expecting to stay more than 6 months, may be required to pay all or part of their disability benefits to the institution for care and maintenance.

Institutions must allow patients to retain disability benefits needed for regular expenses outside the institution (such as home ownership costs) and may only require payment of remaining benefit amounts.

State institutions must maintain documentation proving that disability benefits paid by patients were spent on the patient's care and maintenance.

The act takes effect July 1, 2010.