Medicaid applicants face shorter limits on past-month coverage

The department must limit retroactive Medicaid eligibility to two months for pregnant applicants, children, and nursing facility residents, and seek federal approval to end it for most other adults. The two-month period covers pregnant women, children, and residents of licensed nursing facilities. The waiver request covers other adults. The department must adopt rules for the two-month period starting January 1, 2027. For other adults, ending retroactive eligibility depends on federal approval of the requested waiver. The two-month rule takes effect January 1, 2027. The department must implement the rule for other adults only if federal officials approve the waiver; no date is stated.

The department must seek federal approval to remove unused SNAP benefits after three months or 91 days of inactivity or remaining benefits. This applies to benefits on a household's SNAP electronic benefit account. The department must implement this policy only if the federal government approves the waiver. The proposed removal period is three months or 91 days of inactivity or remaining benefits. No request deadline is stated.

The department must seek federal approval to treat certain government, asset, and employment records as verified for SNAP eligibility checks. The request covers information from specified department sources, third-party asset checks, and an automated employment verification service or equivalent platform. The department must implement the verification policy only if federal officials approve the waiver. The department must submit the waiver request by January 1, 2027. Implementation depends on federal approval.

The department must publish information about granted Medicaid exceptions to policy, including their number, cost, types, and identified trends. The information covers petitions granted as exceptions to the department's Medicaid rules. The text does not state when or how often the department must publish this information.

By January 1, 2028, the department must allow participants to pay specified Medicaid premiums by electronic benefits transfer. This requirement applies to participant premium payments under the cited Medicaid provision. The department must allow these payments by January 1, 2028.