Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), beyond those covered by the regulatory changes of December 3, 2003, we estimate there are between 1,400 to 2,800 surviving spouses of deceased veteran clients who (a) received VIP benefits and (b) who passed away before 1990, the first year spouses became eligible for VIP.
In response to (b),based on the current participation rate, it is estimated that between 1,000 and 2,000 of these surviving spouses would not be living in an institutional setting, and thus would likely participate based on need.
In response to (c), the maximum estimated cost of VIP housekeeping and grounds maintenance for the total eligible spouses, group A, is $4.9 million for the current year and $3.6 million for those likely to participate, group B.