PNA Modernization Act
Congress Proposes Doubling Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance for Nursing Home Residents in 2026
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Congress would raise the minimum personal needs allowance for people on Medicaid who live in institutions like nursing homes.
- Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the minimum would increase from $30 to $60 a month for an individual, and from $60 to $120 a month for a couple.
- This is meant to leave residents with more of their own money for basics like toiletries, haircuts, clothing, and phone or small personal items.
- After Nov. 2025, the minimum amounts would automatically rise when Social Security benefits go up, so the allowance doesn’t fall behind over time.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articles
Legislation affecting Medicaid: August 25, 2025 – October 9, 2025
Roundup of Medicaid-related bills introduced in late Sep/early Oct 2025, including H.R.5685 to raise the Medicaid minimum personal needs allowance for institutionalized individuals/couples.
Wexton Seeks to Restore Autonomy, Dignity to Nursing Home Residents on Medicaid
Background on the Personal Needs Allowance Modernization Act concept (doubling the federal PNA floor and indexing it). Not specific to the 2025 H.R.5685 bill, but closely related policy context.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
PNA Modernization Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(3)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.