OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraskans who qualify for Medicaid under the expansion measure approved by voters in 2018 won't be getting vision, dental or over-the-counter medication benefits anytime soon.
State officials said Thursday that their plans to offer those benefits starting April 1 have been put on hold after federal officials tasked with reviewing them raised concerns.
Officials under Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts had planned to require that recipients meet "wellness and personal responsibility" goals to qualify for those benefits.
State Medicaid Director Kevin Bagley told a legislative committee Thursday that President Joe Biden's administration objected to the plan and isn't likely to approve it in time for the rollout.
"The reality is, any direction we take at this point probably adds months to the implementation," Bagley said in testimony to the Legislature's Appropriations Committee.
In a press release, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said it has submitted all the necessary information for federal approval and blamed the delay on federal officials. Supporters of Medicaid expansion have countered that the process wouldn't have been slowed down if state officials had simply approved the expansion without imposing additional requirements on recipients.
Some pro-expansion advocates have said state officials are dragging their feet on the expansion effort because Ricketts vehemently opposed it. State officials have disputed that criticism, saying they wanted to take the time to launch the program without any hiccups.
Expanded Medicaid recipients will still qualify for basic coverage, including check-ups and behavioral health services.