Tag: Medicaid

Medicaid expansion means higher taxes for Oklahomans

October 24, 2019 Ray Carter

If Oklahoma expands its Medicaid program to cover able-bodied adults, as allowed by the federal Affordable Care Act, Oklahoma government will have to either raise taxes or divert money from other programs, U.S. Sen. James Lankford warns. “No question, if we expand Medicaid in Oklahoma, no one really knows what dollar amount that will mean…

Hospital lawsuits target insured, Medicaid patients

September 12, 2019 Ray Carter

Hospitals in Oklahoma and across the nation have come under fire for filing lawsuits against patients for unpaid medical bills. In Oklahoma, hospital officials have suggested that expanding Medicaid to include able-bodied adults would significantly reduce such patient lawsuits. “Hospitals treat patients in medical emergencies before asking any questions about payment or insurance coverage, as…

Gov. Stitt names Justin Brown as new director of DHS

June 13, 2019

Governor Kevin Stitt has appointed Justin Brown Director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). “Justin is a fellow Oklahoman who has a strong record of helping healthcare and human-service oriented businesses become great success stories in their delivery of compassionate care,” said Stitt. “His time working at the Villagio Senior Living is just…

Bill reforms long-term care

June 13, 2019

SB 888 will allow seniors to take advantage of options counseling to ensure they are fully informed of their options prior to admission to a long-term care program, including less costly choices like home health and adult day services. One option provided under SB 888 is the PACE program, which is a Medicare and Medicaid…

Long-term nursing care options

May 30, 2019

Oklahoma is second in the nation for nursing home residents with low-care needs who could be better served in home and community-based settings. The Senate gave final approval to Senate Bill 888 to provide seniors and their families options that best suit the individual’s long-term healthcare needs while saving the state money. “Oklahoma spends 70…

Suit challenges petition

May 23, 2019

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a free-market think tank, has filed a legal challenge to an initiative petition that would expand the state’s Medicaid welfare program, saying the proposal is unconstitutional and the petition gist is so misleading it violates state law. “There are a lot of policy reasons to oppose Medicaid expansion,” said…