TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A portion of Florida’s $91 billion budget approved last week allows working adults with disabilities to earn more money and maintain their Medicaid benefits.
As part of the budget agreement, the House and Senate will allow adults with disabilities to earn $50,886 annually and not lose access to their Medicaid benefits. The agreement also would allow working adults with disabilities to have up to $13,000 in cash in savings accounts without risking the loss of their Medicaid “home and community based” benefits, including services to help with activities of daily living.
Under current rules, a working adult with disabilities tapping into home- and community-based services cannot earn more than $27,000 per year or have more than $2,000 in cash savings.
Jim DeBeaugrine, the former director of the state Agency for Persons with Disabilities, calls the increase a game-changer for many Floridians.
“It was disincentivizing people from achieving to the maximum extent of their ability. So, the legislature took a really important step in authorizing this program," said DeBeaugrine.
Though they may be able to obtain traditional health-insurance benefits through employers, DeBeaugrine says many people cannot survive without the home- and community-based Medicaid services to assist with activities such as dressing and bathing.
As a result, many Floridians with disabilities will quit jobs or cut back on hours so they don’t lose Medicaid benefits.
