Federal benefit programs; DMAS & DSS shall study technology systems used to administer.

Plain English Breakdown

The exact details of how the modernization plan will be implemented after the report are not specified in the bill.

Study for Modernizing Technology Systems for Federal Benefits

This bill requires Virginia's Department of Social Services and Department of Medical Assistance Services to hire a third-party company to study how to improve the technology used for federal benefit programs and then report their findings.

What This Bill Does

• Requires DSS and DMAS to contract with a third-party vendor to study modernizing technology systems for administering federal benefits in Virginia.
• The third-party vendor must gather feedback from advocacy groups, local social services departments, and other state agencies before making recommendations.
• Recommendations should cover system capacity, funding sources, technical requirements, and implementation timelines while meeting federal standards.
• DSS and DMAS need to submit a report with their plan for modernizing technology systems by December 1, 2026, to the Governor and relevant committee chairs.

Who It Names or Affects

• Virginia's Department of Social Services (DSS) and Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS).
• Third-party vendors hired to study and recommend improvements.
• Advocacy groups and local social services departments providing feedback.
• People receiving federal benefits in Virginia.

Terms To Know

Federal benefit programs

Government assistance programs funded by the U.S. government, such as food stamps or Medicaid.

Third-party vendor

An outside company hired to provide services or products that are not produced internally.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money will be spent on the study and report.
• It is unclear what specific changes might come from the recommendations made by the third-party vendor.
• There is no information about when or if new technology systems will actually be implemented.

Official Summary Text

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Department of Social Services; administration of medical assistance and social services programs; technology modernization; report.
Directs the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to contract with a third-party vendor to study and create a plan for the modernization of the technological systems used to administer federal benefit programs in the Commonwealth. The bill requires DSS and DMAS to develop and submit a legislative report that includes a plan to modernize the current technological systems to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by December 1, 2026, and to use the recommendations and plan outlined in such legislative report to move forward with the procurement process.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL NO. 66

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Health and Human Services

on February 3, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Feggans)

A BILL to direct the Department of Social Services and the Department of Medical Assistance Services to contract with a third-party vendor to study and create a plan for the modernization of the technological systems used to administer federal benefit programs in the Commonwealth; report.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Medical Assistance

Services (DMAS) shall enter a contract with a third
-
party vendor to study and create a plan for

the modernization of the technological systems use
d
to administer federal medical assistance
and other benefit assistance
programs
in the Commonwealth
that are

currently utilizing the Virginia Case Management System.
Such
third
-
party vendor shall solicit feedback from advocacy groups, local

departments of social services, and other state agencies impacted by potential
technological
system
s
changes,

including the Department of Education, the Department for Aging and

Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Taxation, the
Virginia Health Benefit
Exchange, the Department

of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Veterans Services, and the Virginia Employment

Commission. The third
-
party vendor shall review, analyze, and make recommendations for
technological

system
s
modernization, including
(i)
system, resource
,
and staff capacity
,

(ii)
funding sources
,
(iii)
technical

requirements for both hardware and software
,
and
(iv)
a timeline for implementation. Such

recommendations shall ensure that any modernization of technological systems meets the

governing
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service, Centers for Medicare and Medical Services, and Administration o
n
Children, Youth, and Familie
s
Advanced Planning

Document requirements and procurement standards. The plan
for the modernization of technological systems
shall meet all applicable

federal requirements regarding eligibility determinations, certifications, data reporting, and other

requirements for federal medical assistance and other benefit assistance programs. The third
-
party vendor shall make recommendations regarding the establishment of uniform statewide data

entry standards for local departments of social services that standardize the methods for

collecting and entering
the
data necessary to administer
federal medica
l assistance and other
benefit assistance programs. Based upon the

findings
of the third-party vendor
, DSS and DMAS shall develop and submit a legislative report that includes a detailed

plan to modernize the current technological systems to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by December 1, 2026. DSS and DMAS shall use the recommendations and plan outlined in the legislative report to move forward with the procurement process
and shall comply with
any
applicable
federal requirements.