Relating to public assistance program integrity

The identity authentication process and questionnaire may be submitted online, in person, or via telephone by the applicant or a person authorized by the applicant. The bill authorizes DHS to adopt administrative rules to administer the bill and requires DHS to submit an annual report to the governor and the general assembly to assess the impact of the bill. DIVISION II. The division relates to food assistance program and Medicaid program integrity by requiring DHS to, within specified time frames, receive and review state and federal information from various entities concerning individuals or individuals in households enrolled in the food assistance program or the Medicaid program that indicates a change in circumstances that may affect eligibility. The information relates to death, employment, residency, incarceration, tax, and unemployment information and involves the provision of such information to DHS by the departments of public health, workforce development, corrections, and revenue, and information identified by out-of-state electronic benefit transfer transactions. Additionally, the bill requires DHS to, on at least a monthly basis, cross-check information relating to individuals in households enrolled in the food assistance program or the Medicaid program, as applicable, with specified federal databases maintained by the United States social security administration, the United States department of health and human services, the United States department of housing and urban development, and the United States federal bureau of investigation. With regard to the Medicaid program only, the bill also requires that prior to determining eligibility for the Medicaid program, DHS shall access information for every member of an applicant’s household from the data sources outlined in the bill and conduct a review of nationwide public records data sources of physical asset ownership. The data sources may include but are not limited to records of real property and automobiles, watercraft, aircraft, luxury vehicles, and any other vehicles owned by the applicant. The bill also requires an applicant for food assistance program benefits to cooperate with the child support recovery unit as a condition of eligibility as specified under federal law. DIVISION III. The division requires DHS to seek approval of an amendment to the section 1115 demonstration waiver for the Iowa health and wellness plan from the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services of the United States department of health and human services to provide both of the following: (1) that an Iowa health and wellness plan member who is not otherwise exempt from payment of a monthly contribution, who is subject to payment of a monthly contribution as the result of failure to complete required healthy behaviors, and whose eligibility for the program is terminated due to nonpayment of monthly contributions shall be allowed to subsequently reenroll in the program without first paying any outstanding monthly contributions, if the member has not been terminated from the program previously for nonpayment of monthly contributions, and (2) following an initial termination from the Iowa health and wellness program, if an Iowa health and wellness plan member is subsequently terminated from the program for nonpayment of monthly contributions, the member shall be subject to payment of any outstanding monthly contributions accrued since the subsequent termination and not to exceed program limits prior to reenrollment in the program. The bill does not apply to an Iowa health and wellness plan member who is deemed to be in substantial compliance with the requirement to complete a wellness examination by providing proof of a scheduled examination appointment if the appointment is scheduled no later than days beyond the end of the applicable enrollment period. DIVISION IV. The division provides implementation provisions for the bill. The bill requires DHS to request federal approval including for any state plan amendment or waiver necessary to administer the bill. If DHS determines that any provision of the bill would result in the denial of funds or services from the federal government that would otherwise be available or would be inconsistent with the requirements of federal law or regulation, such provision shall be suspended, but only to the extent necessary to eliminate the inconsistency with federal requirements. DHS shall implement the provisions of the bill in an incremental fashion, beginning July 1, 2022, with a goal of full implementation no later than June 30, 2024, to minimize duplication of efforts and to maximize coordination with the implementation time frames of other departmental resource enhancements.