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Increasing the Personal Needs Allowance for Nursing Home Residents

Current Status

A3908 — Awaiting a vote by the full Assembly. Previously approved 6-0 by the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee.

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S3319 — Awaiting a vote by the full Senate. Approved 13-0 by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on June 26. Previously approved 8-0 by the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.

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The legislation, drafted and championed by nursing home residents, would raise the personal needs allowance (PNA) for Medicaid-eligible nursing home residents to $140 per month and establish yearly cost-of-living adjustments.

The current $50-a-month PNA is the only income that nursing home residents on Medicaid have to spend on goods and services not provided by the nursing home — for example, hair care, supplements, clothing, shoes, takeout food, and crafting supplies.

The $50 per month does not go far in New Jersey, which is ranked by Forbes Advisor as the state with the fifth-highest cost of living. According to the American Council on Aging, 32 states and the District of Columbia provide residents with higher PNA amounts than New Jersey, with the highest rate being $200 a month (Alaska).

Interested in supporting the PNA bill?

Contact the LTCO's Community Engagement Program at 1-609-690-4740 or community@ltco.nj.gov.