A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Act to Restore Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity for Everyone" or the "HOPE Act".
B. Prior to awarding assistance under Medicaid, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall verify eligibility information of each applicant, excluding those applicants who would be eligible under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA) and excluding those applicants with intellectual disabilities receiving Home and Community Based Medicaid waiver and state-funded services.
C. The information verified by the Authority shall include, but is not limited to:
1. Earned and unearned income;
2. Employment status and changes in employment;
3. Immigration status;
4. Residency status, including a nationwide best-address source to verify individuals are residents of the state;
5. Enrollment status in other state-administered public assistance programs;
6. Financial resources;
7. Incarceration status;
8. Death records;
9. Enrollment status in public assistance programs outside of this state; and
10. Potential identity fraud or identity theft.
D. The Authority shall sign a memorandum of understanding with any department, agency or division for information detailed in subsection C of this section.
E. The Authority shall contract with one or more independent vendors to provide information detailed in subsection C of this section. Any contract entered under this subsection shall establish annualized savings that exceed the contract's total annual cost to the state.
F. Nothing in this section shall preclude the Authority from receiving, reviewing or verifying additional information related to eligibility not detailed in this section or from contracting with one or more independent vendors to provide additional information not detailed in this section.
Added by Laws 2018, c. 3, § 1.