A bill for an act relating to public assistance programs under the purview of the department of health and human services, including the supplemental nutrition assistance program, Medicaid, and the Iowa health and wellness plan, and including effective date provisions.

Added the Governor's signature block, date, and a formal transmittal letter to the Secretary of State, indicating the bill has been signed.

Altered line breaks and spacing in the text, resulting in some words being split across lines or grouped differently, though the legal meaning is preserved.

Removed the standalone 'Enrolled' header and replaced it with the Governor's signature and transmittal letter.

Added a new definition of 'alien' as any person who is not a U.S. citizen or national.

Set the SNAP gross income threshold at 160% of the federal poverty level and required counting all household members' income without proration.

Mandated quarterly reporting of SNAP payment error rates to the General Assembly starting in fiscal year 2026.

Established retroactive Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women, children, and nursing facility residents for up to two months prior to application, effective January 1, 2027.

Authorized the department to request federal waivers to use third-party automated systems for verifying assets and employment.

Minor formatting adjustments were made to the text layout and section numbering during the finalization process.

Added a new definition of 'alien' as any person who is not a U.S. citizen or national.

Modified SNAP eligibility to explicitly list criteria for non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and those under free association compacts.

Added a requirement for the Department of Health and Human Services to submit quarterly error rate reports to the General Assembly starting October 2026.

Added provisions to request federal waivers allowing benefits accounts to be expunged after 91 days of inactivity.

Added provisions to request federal waivers allowing the use of third-party automated services for asset and employment verification.

Set a timeline for retroactive Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women, children, and nursing facility residents starting January 1, 2027.

Added a new definition for 'alien' to clarify who is ineligible for benefits under federal law.

Mandated the use of the federal 'Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements' (SAVE) online service to verify immigration and citizenship status for all applicants and recipients.

Required a federal waiver to allow retroactive Medicaid eligibility for other adults, which currently does not exist under federal rules.

Mandated quarterly reporting to the General Assembly on SNAP payment error rates starting in fiscal year 2026.

Required a cost neutrality analysis and legislative approval before submitting any new Medicaid waivers or state plan amendments that expand coverage.

Established a gross countable monthly income threshold for SNAP at 160% of the federal poverty level.

Created retroactive eligibility for pregnant women, children, and nursing home residents for up to two months prior to application.

Amended existing laws to require compliance with federal reporting requirements for ineligible household members.