§ 416.2097. Combined supplementary/SSI payment levels.

(a) Other than the level for residents of Medicaid facilities (see paragraph (d) of this section), the combined supplementary/SSI payment level for each payment category that must be provided in any month after March 1983 (or if a State first made supplementary payments after March 1983, the combined supplementary SSI payment levels in effect the first month the State made supplementary payments) in order for a State to meet the requirement of the first sentence of § 416.2096(b) is the sum of—

(1) The SSI Federal benefit rate (FBR) for March 1983 for a recipient with no countable income;

(2) That portion of the July 1983 benefit increase computed in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section;

(3) The full amount of all SSI benefit increases after July 1983; and

(4) The State supplementary payment level for March 1983 as determined under § 416.2098.

(b) The monthly FBR's were increased in July 1983 by $20 for an eligible individual and $30 for an eligible couple, and the monthly increment for essential persons was increased by $10 in lieu of the expected cost-of-living adjustment which was delayed until January 1984. However, in computing the required combined supplementary/SSI payment levels for the purpose of determining pass-along compliance, we use only the amounts by which the FBR's and the essential person increment would have increased had there been a cost-of-living adjustment in July 1983 (a 3.5 percent increase would have occurred). These amounts are $9.70 for an eligible individual, $14.60 for an eligible couple and $4.50 for an essential person.

(c) For the 24-month period January 1, 1984, through December 31, 1985, a State will not be found out of compliance with respect to its payment levels if in the period January 1, 1986, through December 31, 1986, its supplementary payment levels are not less than its supplementary payment levels in effect in December 1976 increased by the percentage by which the FBR has increased after December 1976 and before February 1986. The FBR for an individual in December 1976 was $167.80. The FBR for an individual in effect on January 31, 1986, was $336.00, an increase of 100.24 percent over the December 1976 FBR. In order for a State to take advantage of this provision for the 24-month period January 1, 1984, through December 31, 1985, the State supplementary payment levels in effect for calendar year 1986 must be at least 100.24 percent higher than the State supplementary payment levels in effect in December 1976. This provision does not apply to State supplementary payments to recipients in Federal living arrangement “D” (residents of a medical facility where title XIX pays more than 50 percent of the costs).

(d) The combined supplementary/SSI payment level which must be maintained for residents of Medicaid facilities is the State supplement payable on October 1, 1987, or if no such payments were made on October 1, 1987, the supplementary payment amount made in the first month that a supplementary payment was made after October 1987 but before July 1, 1988, plus the Federal benefit rate in effect in October 1987 increased by $5 for an individual/$10 for a couple effective July 1, 1988.

[52 FR 36242, Sept. 28, 1987, as amended at 54 FR 19165, May 4, 1989; 54 FR 23018, May 30, 1989]