Senate committee reviews ABLE/SNAP, appeals‑mailing and Medicaid third‑party liability rule changes

The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee reviewed three state administrative rule updates affecting benefit administration and Medicaid process.

A presenter said the ABLE account rule change aligns state SNAP policy with federal CMS guidance so that ABLE accounts are excluded from SNAP income and asset tests; the technical $100,000 limit was removed. "We didn't get any public comments on this," the presenter stated, and the agency reported no financial impact.

A separate proposal would stop requiring certified mail for Office of Appeals and Hearings decisions and allow parties to opt in for electronic communication. The agency estimated modest savings from the change and emphasized that electronic delivery would remain optional.

Elizabeth Pittman of the Division of Medical Services described a CMS‑driven clarification to state Medicaid language about third‑party liability; she said the change did not alter how the agency treats third‑party liability but required a state‑plan clarification.

Committee members asked questions and received technical answers from agency staff; each item "stood as reviewed" by the committee with no further action taken at this meeting.