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LB 283

Require the Department of Health and Human Services to implement express lane eligibility

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Danielle Conrad and 1 co-sponsor

Nebraska would use SNAP data to implement express lane eligibility for Medicaid/CHIP, streamlining enrollment and renewals by Jan 1, 2026.

Title printed. Carryover bill
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Bill Summary · LB 283

Summary of Nebraska Legislative Bill LB 283 (2025)

Overview

  • Bill: LB 283
  • Title: Require the Department of Health and Human Services to implement express lane eligibility
  • Purpose: Require Nebraska to implement express lane eligibility (ELE) for Medicaid and CHIP by using SNAP data to streamline initial determinations, redeterminations, automatic enrollment, and renewals.
  • Introduced: January 15, 2025
  • Primary Sponsor: Senator Ashlei Spivey
  • Committee: Health and Human Services (Chair: Senator Brian Hardin)
  • Hearing: Notice of hearing scheduled for March 13, 2025

What the bill does (Key Provisions)

  • Mandate: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) must implement express lane eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP.
  • Eligibility method: Use data from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to determine eligibility for express lane purposes.
  • State plan amendments: By October 1, 2025, DHHS must submit applications to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to amend the Medicaid state plan and the CHIP state plan to implement ELE, in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(13).
  • Designation: The amendments must designate the Division of Children and Family Services as the express lane agency responsible for ELE.
  • Scope of ELE: ELE will be used for enrollment, initial eligibility determinations, redeterminations, and automatic renewals for children in the medical assistance program.
  • Effective implementation date: The ELE option must have an effective date no later than January 1, 2026.
  • Federal funding: The department must take all actions necessary to maximize federal financial participation to carry out this section.
  • Statutory changes: Repeals the original section 68-901 and replaces it with revised provisions governing ELE (new section 68-901).

Affected entities and beneficiaries

  • Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
  • Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
  • Medicaid and CHIP programs in Nebraska
  • Eligible children and their families who participate in Medicaid/CHIP
  • SNAP program data users and system administrators involved in ELE

Implementation timeline and procedural notes

  • Oct 1, 2025: Deadline for DHHS to file CMS state plan amendments to implement ELE (Medicaid and CHIP).
  • Jan 1, 2026: ELE implementation becomes effective for enrollment, determinations, redeterminations, and automatic renewals.
  • March 13, 2025: Scheduled hearing to consider LB 283.
  • Ongoing: DHHS to maximize federal financial participation in implementing ELE.

Legislative actions and sponsorship

  • Status: Notice of hearing for March 13, 2025
  • Introduced: Jan 15, 2025
  • Sponsors:
    • Primary: Senator Ashlei Spivey
    • Cosponsor: Senator Conrad
  • Recent actions: Committee referral to Health and Human Services; subsequent actions not listed beyond the hearing notice

Notes for readers

  • ELE is a federal approach designed to streamline enrollment in programs like Medicaid and CHIP by using SNAP data to determine eligibility, potentially reducing application barriers and speeding up access to coverage.
  • The bill explicitly ties Nebraska’s ELE implementation to CMS-approved state plan amendments and identifies DCFS as the implementing agency for ELE activities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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