§ 416.2098. Supplementary payment levels.

(a) General. For the purpose of determining the combined supplementary/SSI payment levels described in § 416.2097(a) ( i.e. , the levels that must be provided in any month after March 1983), the supplementary payment level, except for the level for residents of Medicaid facilities (see § 416.2097(d)), for each payment category must be no less than the total State payment for March 1983 for that payment category that a State provided an eligible individual (or couple) with no countable income in excess of the FBR for March 1983. For States that did not make supplementary payments in March 1983, the supplementary payment level for each payment category must be no less than the total State payment for the first month after March 1983 in which a State makes supplementary payments.

(b) Calculation of the required mandatory minimum State supplementary payment level. (1) Except for States described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the mandatory minimum State supplementary payment level for March 1983 is a recipient's December 1973 income, as defined in section 212(a)(3)(B) of Pub. L. 93–66, plus any State increases prior to April 1983, less any reductions made at any time after December 1973 due to changes in special needs or circumstances, less the March 1983 FBR. The amount determined under the previous sentence shall continue for April, May, and June 1983. For July 1983 and later the amount calculated in the first sentence shall continue except that it may be reduced by the amount of the July 1983 Federal increase that was not related to the cost of living ( i.e. , $10.30), so long as that reduction does not cause the mandatory minimum State supplementary level to fall below that required by section 212(a)(3)(A) of Pub. L. 93–66.

(2) Section 1618(c) of the Act permitted any State that had satisfied the requirements of section 1618 of the Act by the total-expenditures method for the 12-month period July 1, 1981, through June 30, 1982, and that elected to change and meet the section 1618 requirements by the maintenance-of-payment-levels method for the period July 1, 1982, through June 30, 1983, to do so by paying benefits at levels no lower than the levels of such payments in effect for December 1981. However, a recipient's December 1981 total income (December 1981 mandatory minimum State supplement plus the FBR) could not be less than the recipient's total income for December 1973 as defined in section 212(a)(3)(B) of Pub. L. 93–66. For a State that elected the option in the preceding two sentences, the mandatory minimum State supplementary payment level for March 1983 is a recipient's December 1981 total income (but not less than the total income for December 1973 as defined by section 212(a)(3)(B) of Pub. L. 93–66) plus any State increases after December 1981 and prior to April 1983, less any reductions made at any time after December 1981 due to changes in special needs or circumstances, less the March 1983 FBR. The amount determined under the previous sentence shall continue for April, May, and June 1983. For July 1983 and later, the amount calculated under the preceding sentence defining the required March 1983 mandatory minimum State supplementary payment level would continue except that it may be reduced by the amount of the July 1983 Federal increase that was not related to the cost of living ( i.e. , $10.30), so long as that reduction does not cause the mandatory minimum State supplementary level to fall below that required by section 212(a)(3)(A) of Pub. L. 93–66.

(c) Calculation of the required optional State supplementary payment level for flat grant amounts. The optional State supplementary payment level for March 1983 for flat grant amounts is the total amount that an eligible individual (or couple) with no countable income received for March 1983 in excess of the FBR for March 1983. The amount determined under the previous sentence shall continue for April, May, and June 1983. For July 1983 and later the amount calculated in the first sentence shall continue except that it may be reduced by the amount of the July 1983 Federal increase that was not related to the cost of living ( i.e. , $10.30). If the State varied its payment levels for different groups of recipients (e.g., paid recipients different amounts based on eligibility categories, geographic areas, living arrangements, or marital status), each variation represents a separate supplementary payment level.

(d) Calculation of the required optional State supplementary payment level for individually budgeted grant amounts. The optional State supplementary payment level for individually budgeted grant amounts for March 1983 is the amount that the State budgeted for March 1983 in excess of the March 1983 FBR for an eligible individual (or couple) having the same needs and no countable income. The amount determined under the previous sentence shall continue for April, May, and June 1983. For July 1983 and later the amount calculated in the first sentence shall continue except that it may be reduced by the amount of the July 1983 Federal increase that was not related to the cost of living ( i.e. , $10.30).

(e) Optional State supplementary payment level for per diem based grant amounts. (1) The optional State supplementary payment level for March 1983 for per diem grant amounts is the total dollar amount that the State paid to an eligible individual (or couple) with no countable income at rates in effect for March 1983 (number of days in the calendar month multiplied by the March 1983 per diem rate plus any March 1983 personal needs allowance) in excess of the March 1983 FBR.

Example:    March 1983: $15.40 Per diem rate. × 31 Days in month. 477.40 477.40 + 42.00 Personal needs allowance. 519.40 519.40 Combined State supplementary/SSI payment. −284.30 March 1983 FBR. 235.10 State supplementary payment level.

(2) The optional State supplementary payment level for months subsequent to March 1983 for per diem grant amounts is the total dollar amount that the State paid to an individual (or couple) with no countable income at rates in effect in March 1983 (number of days in the calendar month multiplied by the March 1983 per diem rate plus any March 1983 personal needs allowance) in excess of the March 1983 FBR for an individual (or couple) with no countable income increased by all FBR increases subsequent to March 1983 with the exception of the July 1, 1983 increase. For the July 1, 1983 increase to the FBR, a State need pass-along only that portion of the increase which represented the increase in the cost of living adjustment (3.5 percent).

Example:  Note: Example assumes the State passed along only $9.70 of the $20.00 increase in the FBR effective July 1, 1983. The March 1983 combined supplementary/SSI payment level for a 31-day month was $519.40. July 1983 level: $519.40 March 1983 combined payment. + 9.70 July 1983 COLA-equivalent. 529.10 Required July 1983 combined payment level. 529.10 Required July 1983 combined payment level. −304.30 July 1983 FBR. 224.80 Required State Supplementary payment level. 529.10 Required July 1983 combined payment level. −42.00 Personal needs allowance. 487.10 487.10 + 31 Days in month. 15.71 Per diem rate. The required July 1983 combined supplementary/SSI payment level for a 31-day month was $529.10. This amount is equal to the March 1983 combined payment amount for a 31-day month plus the July 1983 COLA-equivalent ($519.40 + $9.70).

(f) Required optional State supplementary payment level for months prior to April 1983. In determining pass-along compliance under the maintenance-of-payment-levels test for months from July 1977 through March 1983, we used December 1976 (or December 1981 under the circumstances described in paragraph (g) of this section) as the standard month for determining the required State supplementary payment level. To determine the December 1976 State supplementary payment levels for categories described in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section substitute “December 1976” for “March 1983” and “January 1977” for “April 1983” whenever they appear in these paragraphs only.

(g) Alternative required optional State supplementary payment level for July 1982 through March 1983. States which were in compliance solely under the total-expenditures test for the 12-month period ending June 30, 1982, had the option of substituting December 1981 for December 1976 and switching to the maintenance-of-payment-levels test for July 1982 through March 1983 (see § 416.2096(b)(2)). If this situation applies, determine the December 1981 State supplementary payment levels for categories described in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section by substituting “December 1981” for “March 1983” and “January 1982” for “April 1983” whenever they appear in these paragraphs only.

[52 FR 36243, Sept. 28, 1987; 53 FR 4135, Feb. 12, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 19165, May 4, 1989; 54 FR 23018, May 30, 1989]