This bill amends the Medical Assistance Act in Nebraska, specifically section 68-901, to include new provisions regarding community engagement requirements for the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill states the Legislature's intent to adopt these requirements only as mandated by federal law, ensuring the protection of rights and health coverage for Nebraskans eligible for medical assistance. It outlines specific intentions, such as streamlining exemptions to community engagement requirements and enhancing the effectiveness of ex parte processing within the medical assistance program.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the Department implement community engagement requirements in accordance with federal law, including adopting short-term hardship exemptions, defining medically frail individuals broadly, and utilizing participant statements and available data sources to assess compliance. The Department is also instructed to apply an income proxy for determining compliance with community engagement requirements. The original section 68-901 is repealed, and the act is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval due to the declaration of an emergency.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 68-901