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13. “Non-LTSS spouse" means the spouse of an LTSS applicant or beneficiary regardless of LTSS living arrangement. It includes the spouses of anyone requesting or receiving Medicaid LTSS in a health care institution – NF, ICF-ID, or hospital – or in the home and community-based setting. When both spouses in a married couple are seeking or receiving Medicaid LTSS, neither is considered a non-LTSS spouse, irrespective of whether they reside together or separately. 14. "Personal needs allowance" means a required deduction in the computation of beneficiary liability for needs of the LTSS beneficiary and includes the Federally-mandated amount as well as State-only personal needs allowance, paid through the optional State supplement program. 15. "Service plan " means the scope of Medicaid LTSS, including the types of services to be furnished, the amount, frequency and duration of each service and the type of provider to furnish each service. 16. "Standard utility allowance" means an amount that is used in lieu of the actual amount of utility costs. The standard utility allowance is applicable if the non-LTSS spouse is responsible for payment toward the cost of gas, electric, coal, wood, oil, water, sewage, or telephone for the residence and is updated annually, in conjunction with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the Rhode Island Department of Human Services’ Administrative Code at 218-RICR-20-00-1. 8.5 Income for Post-Eligibility Purposes A. PETI Income. During the post-eligibility review process, income is treated differently than during earlier steps in the LTSS eligibility sequence. 1. General Rules – The treatment and availability of income in the PETI is conducted in accordance with the following: a. Only the income allocated to the LTSS beneficiary is considered available in the beneficiary liability determination. b. During any month in which a Medicaid LTSS beneficiary is receiving covered services, the income of beneficiary’s spouse is treated as unavailable. c. In the case of an LTSS beneficiary who has no spouse, only the income of the beneficiary is considered in determining beneficiary liability. d. Spouses separated by a continuous period of LTSS, regardless of living arrangement, are considered for PETI purposes to be living apart starting in the month the LTSS beneficiary begins to receive Medicaid LTSS.