Last week the House and Senate members introduced legislation that would allow parents or guardians of people with disabilities to establish a trust fund that would be exempt from Medicaid law so they can still use Medicaid and have access to other money. The legislation also makes contributions tax free up to a certain point.
Money in the trust may be used for things such as education, community based services, moving, assistive technology, employment training and support, housing, and transportation. The proposed legislation is more generous than existing law on how trust fund money can be spent.
The proposed legislation has been sought by parents of children with disabilities and has some possibility of passing in the current Congress.
The legislation S. 2741 and H.R. 2370 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and in the House by Representatives Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Dave Camp (R-MI), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Tom Davis (R-VA), Jim Ramstad (D-RI), Mary Bono (D-CA), Connie Mack (R-FL), Corrine Brown (R-FL), Adam Putnam (R-FL), and Robert Wexler (D-FL). For more information please go to www.thomas.gov.
