This bill, Substitute Bill No. 58, concerns conservator compensation by Medicaid applicants and recipients. It requires the Commissioner of Social Services to amend the Medicaid state plan provisions to allow for certain deductions related to the representation of a Medicaid applicant or recipient. These deductions include compensation of a conservator, Probate Court filing fees and expenses, premiums for probate bonds, and other approved fiduciary expenses. The deductions must be permissible under federal law and taken from applied income after all other deductions provided for in the Medicaid state plan. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Social Services to calculate the total amount deducted from the applied income of Medicaid applicants and recipients and inform the Probate Court Administrator, who must transfer funds from the Probate Court Administration Fund to the Department of Social Services.

Additionally, the bill amends current law to allow for the transfer of assets in exchange for other valuable consideration, as long as the value of the consideration is equal to or greater than the value of the asset transferred. It also specifies that conservator compensation, fiduciary fees, and expenses approved by the Probate Court and paid by a Medicaid applicant or recipient for services rendered by a conservator shall not be treated as an improper transfer of assets for the purpose of obtaining Medicaid eligibility, as long as documentation is provided to demonstrate that the services rendered were in accordance with Probate Court regulations and the compensation, fee, and expense were for the fair market value of the services rendered. The bill also makes changes to the compensation payable to conservators or guardians of individuals supported by the state or receiving public assistance, including setting a minimum compensation amount and allowing for additional compensation for extraordinary services.