Raise The Personal Needs Allowance (PNA)

For nursing home residents whose primary payor source is Medicaid, the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) is a monthly discretionary amount that can be spent on personal items such as toiletries, a phone service, stamps and stationery, or other similar items of their choice. The current Personal Needs Allowance is just $50. That’s not enough. It's time to Raise the PNA.

Sign The Petition

Call Your Elected Officials

• Find my NYS Assembly Member
• Find my NYS Senator

Under Medicaid, nursing facilities are responsible for providing a resident’s basic needs: nursing services, activities, room and board, and routine personal hygiene items. But Medicaid does not pay for other personal items or services that a resident deems necessary, meaningful, and therefore intrinsic to their overall wellbeing.

• $50 in the 1980s is equivalent to $140 today.
• No federally set rule as to how often a state must increase their PNA.
• 33 states pay more than NY’s $50 (varies from $52-$200); this means 65% of states pay more than what NYS residents receive.
• This is important because it is the “only” source of income for many residents.
• Being able to pay for personal expenses is essential to maintain residents’ quality of life.
• It helps residents be able to age with dignity, independence, and financial security.

The PNA covers anything Medicaid does not cover which includes expenses such as:

• Clothes, shoes or slippers
• Beauty/barber services
• Cell phone services
• Books/reading materials
• Writing materials (stamps, stationary, etc.)
• Cards to family/friends (i.e. birthday card)
• Favorite foods or treats
• Telephone, cable TV, internet
• Music
• Hobby materials

Please visit Consumer Voice's PNA Fact Sheet and PNA By State Chart for additional information.