The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5301, aims to exclude spousal income from calculations related to rent, fees, and cost-sharing for home and community-based services under Medicaid. Specifically, the bill mandates that the Commissioner of Social Services seek a federal Medicaid waiver or amend the Medicaid state plan to disregard any income earned by a spouse who provides more than 25% of daily care for an individual applying for or receiving such services. This change is intended to enhance the financial eligibility of caregivers and their spouses for Medicaid support.

The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2026, and introduces new legal language that establishes this provision as a new section in the law. There are no deletions from current law noted in the text of the bill. The intent is to provide greater support for families where one spouse is a primary caregiver, thereby potentially increasing access to necessary home and community-based services for those in need.