An Act To Support Individuals with Disabilities by Exempting Certain Wages from Consideration for MaineCare
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3174-ZZ is enacted to read:
§ 3174-ZZ. Income from certain employment activities in determination of eligibility
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department may not include income received from the following sources in determining a person's eligibility for MaineCare:
1. Work support services. Income received by a person with a disability from employment if the employment when undertaken by a person with a disability is eligible for support services under the MaineCare program. For purposes of this subsection, "disability" means an intellectual or developmental disability, autism spectrum disorder, brain injury, cerebral palsy, seizure disorder or other related condition that qualifies the person for services under a MaineCare waiver program; and
2. Vocational rehabilitation. Income received by a person from the person's participation in a vocational rehabilitation program provided pursuant to Title 26, chapter 19, subchapter 2.
summary
This bill exempts income received by a person with a disability from certain work programs available to individuals with disabilities from being considered in determining the person's eligibility for MaineCare.