1. (1) The department of health and welfare is authorized to and shall submit a state plan amendment to the centers for medicare and medicaid services to include participant cost-sharing as a condition of participation in a medical assistance program, to the extent allowed under federal law, that is at least to the levels developed by other states and up to the maximum charged by other states.

2. (2) The department of health and welfare shall:

   1. (a) Take such actions as are necessary to implement the provisions of this section;
   2. (b) Begin the application process for federal approval of the state plan amendment required by this section no later than July 1, 2026; and
   3. (c) Continue any existing cost-sharing under the medicaid state plan in effect at the time of the passage of this act until supplanted by the new state plan amendment required by this section.

[56-2203, added 2025, ch. 118, sec. 2, p. 622.]