Increases personal needs allowance to $50 for recipients of Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income who are veterans or spouses of veterans and provides for annual cost-of-living increase in allowance.

This bill increases the personal needs allowance for veterans and their spouses who receive Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It raises the monthly allowance from $35 to $50 for Medicaid recipients and from $40 to $50 for SSI recipients. The allowance will automatically increase each January by the same percentage as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. The changes require federal approval before taking effect but will apply to veterans and spouses residing in facilities like nursing homes or psychiatric hospitals.