2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26104089D

HOUSE BILL NO. 66

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled December 30, 2025

A BILL to direct the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Social Services to modernize the technological systems they use to administer medical assistance and social services programs.

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Patrons—Feggans, Carroll and Thornton

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Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and the Department of Social Services (DSS) shall work collaboratively to modernize the technological systems they use to administer federal medical assistance and social services programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. DMAS and DSS shall develop and submit a plan to implement the provisions of this act to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1, 2026. DMAS and DSS shall begin implementing such plan immediately thereafter and shall provide quarterly reports on the progress of such implementation to the General Assembly.

§ 2. DMAS and DSS shall ensure that such modernized technological systems are capable of meeting all eligibility determination, certification, data reporting, or other requirements for federal programs administered by DMAS and DSS. Such modernized technological systems shall include infrastructure to support (i) six-month eligibility redetermination timelines; (ii) appropriate documentation, reporting, and outreach regarding expanded work requirements; (iii) determinations regarding imposition of mandatory Medicaid copayments; and (iv) any other processes necessary to ameliorate loss of coverage for citizens of the Commonwealth due to administrative errors.

§ 3. DSS shall establish uniform statewide data entry standards for local departments of social services by regulation that standardize the methods for collecting and entering data necessary to administer social services programs. Additionally, DSS shall assess the needs of local departments of social services and shall do the following as necessary to implement the provisions of this act: (i) provide any hardware or software required; (ii) offer targeted training; and (iii) deliver ongoing technical support.