Read the full stored bill text
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 1144
Introduced by Hardin, 48.
Read first time January 20, 2026
Committee: Health and Human Services
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Medical Assistance Act; to amend1
sections 68-927 and 68-928, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska; to2
redefine a term; to provide requirements for entities issuing health3
plans; to harmonize provisions; and to repeal the original sections.4
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,5
LB1144
2026
LB1144
2026
-1-
Section 1. Section 68-927, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is1
amended to read: 2
68-927 For purposes of sections 68-926 to 68-933:3
(1) Coordinate benefits means: 4
(a) Provide to the department information regarding the licensed5
insurer's or self-funded insurer's existing coverage for an individual6
who is eligible for a state benefit program; and 7
(b) Meet payment obligations; 8
(2) Coverage information means health information possessed by a9
licensed insurer or self-funded insurer that is limited to the following10
information about an individual: 11
(a) Eligibility for coverage under a health plan;12
(b) Coverage of health care under the health plan; or13
(c) Benefits and payments associated with the health plan;14
(3) Health plan means any policy of insurance issued by a licensed15
insurer or any employee benefit plan offered by a self-funded insurer16
that provides for payment to , or on behalf of , an individual as a result17
of an illness, disability, or injury or change in a health condition and18
includes a service benefit plan, managed care organization, pharmacy19
benefit manager, or another party that is legally responsible by law,20
contract, or agreement for payment of a claim for a health care item or21
service; 22
(4) Individual means a person covered by a state benefit program,23
including the medical assistance program, or a person applying for such24
coverage; 25
(5) Licensed insurer means any insurer, except a self-funded26
insurer, including a fraternal benefit society, producer, or other person27
licensed or required to be licensed, authorized or required to be28
authorized, or registered or required to be registered pursuant to the29
insurance laws of the state; and 30
(6) Self-funded insurer means any employer or union who or which31
LB1144
2026
LB1144
2026
-2-
provides a self-funded employee benefit plan. 1
Sec. 2. Section 68-928, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is2
amended to read: 3
68-928 (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, at4
the request of the department, a licensed insurer or a self-funded5
insurer shall provide coverage information to the department without an6
individual's authorization for purposes of: 7
(a) Determining an individual's eligibility for state benefit8
programs, including the medical assistance program; or9
(b) Coordinating benefits with state benefit programs.10
Such information shall be provided within thirty days after the date11
of request unless good cause is shown. Requests for coverage information12
shall specify individual recipients for whom information is being13
requested. 14
(2)(a) Coverage information requested pursuant to subsection (1) of15
this section regarding a limited benefit policy shall be limited to16
whether a specified individual has coverage and, if so, a description of17
that coverage, and such information shall be used solely for the purposes18
of subdivision (1)(a) of this section. 19
(b) For purposes of this section, limited benefit policy means a20
policy of insurance issued by a licensed insurer that consists only of21
one or more, or any combination of the following: 22
(i) Coverage only for accident or disability income insurance, or23
any combination thereof; 24
(ii) Coverage for specified disease or illness; or25
(iii) Hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance.26
(3) An entity that issues a health plan shall:27
(a) Respond to a request by the department regarding a claim for28
payment for a health care item or service submitted not later than three29
years after the date of the provision of such health care item or30
service; and 31
LB1144
2026
LB1144
2026
-3-
(b) Not deny a claim submitted by the department solely on the basis1
of the date of submission, the type or format of the claim form, or a2
failure to present proper documentation at the point-of-sale, if (i) the3
claim is submitted by the department within the three-year period4
beginning on the date that the health care item or service was provided,5
and (ii) an action by the department to enforce its rights with respect6
to such claim is commenced within six years after the date of the claim's7
submission. Such information shall be provided to the department within8
thirty days after the date of its request unless good cause is shown. A9
request for coverage information shall specify the individual for whom10
information is being requested. 11
Sec. 3. Original sections 68-927 and 68-928, Reissue Revised12
Statutes of Nebraska, are repealed. 13
LB1144
2026
LB1144
2026
-4-