CMS Extends Spousal Impoverishment Provisions for HCBS Beneficiaries

In a recent development, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a bulletin extending the mandatory financial eligibility rules, specifically the spousal impoverishment provisions, for married applicants and beneficiaries eligible for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 has granted a temporary extension of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) spousal impoverishment-related provision. Initially set to expire on December 31, 2018, this crucial provision has seen several extensions through subsequent legislation. Now, the latest extension pushes the deadline to September 30, 2027.