In the News
Privatized Medicaid plan could cost Oklahoma economy more than $900 million, study shows
Job losses projected at 5,500 under outsourcing plan
Oklahoma could expect a negative economic impact of $904 million if Medicaid is outsourced to insurance companies, according to a report examining the governor’s managed care plan.
Third Oklahoma Medicaid company accused of wrongdoing
Humana accused of overbilling Medicare
Three of the four insurance giants chosen to administer Oklahoma’s Medicaid program now face allegations of misconduct.
Legislators can stop privatized Medicaid
Options available to end governor’s plan before damage is done
As the Oklahoma House of Representatives considers Senate Bill 131 this week, a coalition of health care organizations today called on the Oklahoma Legislature to vote to stop a flawed plan to privatize health care for 1 million Medicaid recipients.
UnitedHealthcare accused of forcing doctors out of Medicaid system
Second company chosen to manage Oklahoma’s program accused of wrongdoing
Another of the insurance giants chosen to administer Oklahoma’s Medicaid program faces allegations of misconduct.
UnitedHealthcare has been sued in Colorado and Texas by U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP) for allegedly forcing USAP physicians out of UnitedHealthcare’s network and pushing hospitals to stop referring patients to USAP.
Company chosen to manage Oklahoma’s Medicaid program accused of fraud in Ohio
Centene Corp. also faces fraud investigation in Mississippi
One of the four insurance giants picked to oversee Oklahoma’s Medicaid program faces allegations of fraud in Ohio and is under investigation for similar actions in Mississippi.
Opponents of privatized Medicaid announce alliance
Group aims to stop ‘Health Care Holdup’
A coalition of health care providers and concerned Oklahomans today announced wide-ranging opposition to a flawed scheme to privatize the state’s Medicaid system.
The group is asking Oklahoma legislators to stop the “Health Care Holdup” by halting the governor’s plan to place the system in the hands of insurance companies.
Nov. 11, 2021 | Tahlequah Daily Press
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GUEST EDITORIAL: Oklahomans need rural health systems, not insurance-managed care
Our doctors, nurses and other medical providers are tasked with caring for Oklahomans in need.
Friends and neighbors are often among the patients they serve, especially in small communities.
To read the full article, visit TahlequahDailyPress.com.
June 30, 2021 | Public Radio Tulsa
Advocates Celebrate Start Of Benefits Under Oklahoma Medicaid Expansion
More than 120,000 uninsured Oklahomans get health coverage Thursday when voter-approved Medicaid expansion takes effect.
To watch the full article, visit PublicRadioTulsa.org.
June 1, 2021 | The Oklahoman
What does Oklahoma’s Medicaid expansion mean for me? Who’s eligible and how to apply
Oklahomans eligible for health coverage through Medicaid expansion can begin applying for benefits Tuesday.
Here’s what you need to know about who’s eligible and how to apply.
To watch the full article, visit TheOklahoman.com.
May 12, 2021 | Tulsa World
Letter: Managed-care Medicaid will result in payment delays and denial
For hospitals and the communities they serve, the impact of the plan to outsource Medicaid is not just about utilization reductions. While services that are medically necessary will still be provided, there will be payment delays and denials from the managed-care insurance companies.
To watch the full article, visit TulsaWorld.com.
May 6, 2021 | Stillwater News Press
OUR VIEW: Managed care is a gamble
We like to see all of the arguments for and against privatized managed care for Medicaid in Oklahoma.
We’ve seen plenty against managed care, which suggests it would lead to rationing care, larger overhead and worse patient outcomes.
To watch the full article, visit StillwaterNewsPress.com.
Apr. 26, 2021 | Tulsa Kids
My Son Will Be Hurt by Outsourcing Medicaid
Some may remember my son Jack, who was featured on the cover of TulsaKids back in the fall. Jack has autism and is nonverbal. He receives SoonerCare through the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act or TEFRA. He is one of the hundreds of thousands of Medicaid recipients who will be affected by the governor’s plan to outsource Medicaid health care to private insurance companies. The legislative session, which ends in late May, is the only hope of stopping the governor’s plan.
To watch the full article, visit TulsaKids.com.
Apr. 23, 2021 | Stillwater News Press
Stillwater Medical CEO opposes managed care to administer Medicaid
Stillwater Medical CEO Denise Webber doesn’t think managed care would be a good idea.
She doesn’t like it for hospitals, physicians or patients.
Managed care is the privatization of administering the state’s Medicaid program, which will soon be expanded to include close to 200,000 more people in Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority introduced a plan last summer that would create the SoonerSelect Medicaid plan, and has already selected a handful of companies to manage it.
To watch the full article, visit StillwaterNewsPress.com.
Apr. 12, 2021 | Duncan Banner
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Column: Managing Medicaid Expansion
Last June, Oklahoma voters passed a state question that expanded Medicaid in the state to more low-income adults beginning this July 1. Anticipating this, the state Legislature last session passed a measure known as SoonerCare 2.0 that would have required the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to oversee the expansion. State budget leaders estimated this would cost about $164 million this year.
To watch the full article, visit DuncanBanner.com
Apr. 8, 2021 | The Duncan Banner
Column: Hospital administrator talks about town hall meeting
I was privileged to attend a recent town hall here in Duncan on the topic of surrendering control of Oklahoma’s Medicaid program to private insurance companies. I say privileged because it was encouraging to hear so many insightful questions and comments about this patently bad idea.
To read the full article, visit DuncanBanner.com.
Mar. 23, 2021 | Journal Record
Mississippi investigating its largest Medicaid provider over pharmacy benefits
Mississippi officials are investigating whether Fortune 500 company Centene and possibly other firms may have significantly overcharged taxpayers as they managed billions of dollars worth of state Medicaid health insurance benefits.
To read the full article, visit DailyJournal.com.
Mar. 8, 2021 | KOSU
More Groups Attempt To Weigh In On Oklahoma's Partially Privatized Medicaid Plan
A trade group for health insurance companies is trying to weigh in on the lawsuit challenging Oklahoma’s managed Medicaid plan.
In February, a slew of medical trade groups sued state health officials, posing a legal challenge to their managed Medicaid plan.
To read the full article, visit KOSU.org.
Feb. 26, 2021 | Tulsa World
Ginnie Graham: Medical debt will come to forefront after pandemic
The pandemic has kept the accounts coming on Go Fund Me — the latest American way to pay for health care.
A search of “Tulsa” and “COVID” pops up more than 640 accounts; various changes on the words come up with different results.
To read the full article, visit TulsaWorld.com.
Feb. 17, 2021 | NonDoc
Three companies receive Medicaid managed care dental contracts
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority announced this morning that three companies have been selected to receive managed care dental contracts for Oklahoma’s Medicaid oral health plans.
To read the full article, visit NonDoc.com.
Feb. 8, 2021 | The Frontier
Managed care push brings a flow of campaign cash and lobbying that is likely to continue
Health care companies competing for one of the contracts to handle Oklahoma’s Medicaid program spent tens of thousands of dollars on lobbyists and campaign donations last year, while many of the health associations fighting against the effort increased their own campaign contributions to state lawmakers.
To read the full article, visit ReadFrontier.org.
Sept. 19, 2021 | The Oklahoman
Calling foul: Oklahomans should care for Oklahomans, not out-of-state insurers
Oklahoma is known throughout the country for two things: football and the Oklahoma Standard.
On a recent Saturday, Gov. Kevin Stitt used one of those things to limit the other — seemingly hoping his out-of-bounds foul might go unnoticed.
Let’s rewind the tape.
To read the full article, visit TheOklahoman.com.
June 28, 2021 | Oklahoma Watch
The Long, Winding Road to Medicaid Expansion in Oklahoma
More than a decade after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, low-income Oklahomans are about to benefit for the first time from one of the health-care reform’s signature provisions.
To watch the full article, visit OklahomaWatch.org.
June 1, 2021 | The Oklahoman
Oklahoma Supreme Court strikes down managed care for Medicaid
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority does not have the authority to implement a managed care plan for the state’s Medicaid system.
To watch the full article, visit TheOklahoman.com.
May 11, 2021 | Duncan Banner
Column: From the Desk of Sen. Jessica Garvin
As the 2021 Legislative Session wraps up, I’m finding myself in a very interesting battle regarding the direction we take with Medicaid expansion. Many of you have been calling and emailing my office, asking great questions about the things you have been reading and hearing regarding this issue. Because of all the inquiries, I wanted to take the opportunity to explain the other side of the issue regarding Medicaid expansion.
To watch the full article, visit DuncanBanner.com.
Apr. 28, 2021 | Metro Family Magazine
Local health care professionals push back on managed care for Medicaid
With Medicaid expansion set to begin later this year, Oklahoma’s path to join other states that use managed care for Medicaid patients has encountered a new hurdle. Southern Oklahoma health care providers are speaking out against the measure and warn that a plan to outsource the state’s Medicaid management won't address Oklahoma's current needs.
To watch the full article, visit Ardmoreite.com.
Apr. 25, 2021 | The Oklahoman
Opinion: A managed-care system would hurt the state's most vulnerable
Two years ago this month, I adopted my son Eli from DHS custody. Today, Eli and many other Oklahomans using the state’s Medicaid plan face uncertainty with the governor’s plan to privatize health care through a managed-care system. This change has prompted serious concerns that could mean the beginning of compromised health care for some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable populations.
To watch the full article, visit Oklahoman.com.
Apr. 19, 2021 | Purcell Register
Managed or mangled?
It makes little sense to Dr. Glenn Mead to take a system that worked for years and replace it with one tried before that failed.
And the Purcell dentist isn’t alone in scratching his head over Gov. Kevin Stitt’s decision to scrap the state’s existing SoonerCare and usher in SoonerSelect, a managed care organization, on October 1. Opposing that implementation is a broad coalition of health care professionals, Stop the Health Care Holdup.
To watch the full article, visit PurcellRegister.com.
Apr. 12, 2021 | KFOR
Flashpoint team discusses Medicaid expansion plan, gun violence
The Flashpoint team discusses President Biden’s plan to battle gun violence across the country, and they also talk about Oklahomans’ reactions to the plan. Also, the team will discuss Gov. Stitt’s plan for Medicaid expansion in the state.
To watch the full video, visit KFOR.com.
Apr. 2, 2021 | Becker's Hospital Review
UnitedHealthcare squeezes competition like a 'boa constrictor,' physicians say
A large group of anesthesiologists is suing UnitedHealthcare in Colorado and Texas, alleging the health insurance giant is suppressing competition by forcing physicians out of its network and pushing hospitals to stop referring patients to them, according to The New York Times.
To read the full article, visit BeckersHospitalReview.com
Mar. 10, 2021 | Journal Record
Lawmakers attempt to enact Medicaid controls
The effort is a response to Gov. Stitt's unilateral decision to switch Oklahoma’s Medicaid system over to managed care.
To read the full article, visit JournalRecord.com.
Mar. 4, 2021 | OK Policy Institute
Legislators must protect Oklahomans’ health care
As the Governor and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) quickly attempt to privatize part of the state’s Medicaid program, also known as SoonerCare, legislators, health care providers, and members of the public have raised concerns about negative impacts on patients, providers, and taxpayer dollars. Privatizing Medicaid isn’t supported by any definitive evidence.
To read the full article, visit OKPolicy.org.
Feb. 23, 2021 | Journal Record
FAQ: What does the debate over managed care really mean?
Oklahoma is on the verge of overhauling its Medicaid program and changing how about a quarter of the state’s population receives health care.
Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority announced in late January that the state will contract with four companies to provide managed care for hundreds of thousands of SoonerCare members.
To read the full article, visit JournalRecord.com.
Feb. 16, 2021 | Tulsa World
Editorial: Don’t privatize Oklahoma Medicaid management
The oppose privatizing Medicaid management in Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt's people have rammed a $2 billion privatization scheme through the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, despite objections from his own legislators. A group including the Oklahoma State Medical Association is asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to block the action because it didn't have proper legislative authorization.
To read the full article, visit TulsaWorld.com.
Feb. 8, 2021 | The Frontier
Managed care push brings a flow of campaign cash and lobbying that is likely to continue
Health care companies competing for one of the contracts to handle Oklahoma’s Medicaid program spent tens of thousands of dollars on lobbyists and campaign donations last year, while many of the health associations fighting against the effort increased their own campaign contributions to state lawmakers.
To read the full article, visit ReadFrontier.org.
July 1, 2021 | Associated Press
Medicaid expansion takes effect in deep-red Oklahoma
A voter-approved expansion of Medicaid took effect Thursday in Oklahoma after a decade of Republican resistance in a state that has become emblematic of the political struggle to extend the federal health insurance program in conservative strongholds.
To watch the full article, visit APNews.com.
June 7, 2021 | OK Policy
What comes next after Supreme Court strikes down managed care plan? (Capitol Update)
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled last week that the actions of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) implementing a capitated managed care plan — at the direction of Gov. Stitt — violated state law and was therefore void. The Court said OHCA acted without legislative authorization and without first adopting necessary administrative rules for the bidding process.
To watch the full article, visit OKPolicy.org.
May 21, 2021 | The Frontier
Details are scarce on how Oklahoma’s plan to privatize Medicaid will affect mental health services
Behavioral health providers in Oklahoma are concerned about potential cuts to mental health services for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents under a plan to privatize the state’s Medicaid system.
To watch the full article, visit ReadFrontier.org.
May 11, 2021 | The Wall Street Journal
States Probe Business Practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Several states are investigating pharmacy benefit managers, with some saying they are focused on whether the companies fully disclosed details about their business and potentially received overpayments under state contracts, according to state officials and documents.
To watch the full article, visit WSJ.com.
Apr. 28, 2021 | Metro Family Magazine
Privatization of Medicaid in Oklahoma?
Each legislative session, the Oklahoma House and Senate make decisions that impact your family. It is the important work we elected our representatives to do on our behalf. And our representatives that we elect need to hear from us when we feel that their decisions are going to benefit or harm our families. There are ways to get involved in these legislative issues, the first of which is to call and/or email your representative when you feel strongly about the issues up for votes at the Oklahoma state capitol.
To watch the full article, visit MetroFamilyMagazine.com.
Apr. 25, 2021 | Tulsa World
Susan Savage: Private Medicaid management is a dubious solution to a problem we don' t have
Oklahoma’s rush to outsource its Medicaid program to private for-profit companies begs the question — what problem are we trying to solve? The state’s Medicaid agency — the Oklahoma Health Care Authority — is already managing Medicaid and is nationally recognized for its work.
To watch the full article, visit TulsaWorld.com.
Apr. 19, 2021 | Norman Transcript
Letter: Attack on managed care opponent omits true problem with Medicaid privatization
In the March 26 article "Critic of managed care, Standridge profited from current Medicaid system," The Norman Transcript's choice to focus on Sen. Rob Standridge's pharmacy ownership ignores the fundamental problems with privatizing our state's Medicaid program. I am writing today to address this oversight.
To watch the full article, visit NormanTranscript.com
Apr. 11, 2021 | The Oklahoman
Your Turn: Outsourcing the state's Medicaid program would also hurt nurses
Oklahoma’s current Medicaid program is considered nationally to be a model of efficiency, with administrative costs averaging less than 5%. However, the governor is trying to unilaterally push through a plan that would outsource this highly successful program to four insurance companies.
To read the full article, visit Oklahoman.com.
Mar. 28, 2021 | Norman Transcript
Company in contract with Oklahoma for managed care being sued in Ohio
A company that Oklahoma has enlisted to help run its managed care program is currently being sued by the Ohio Attorney General for breach of contract.
To read the full article, visit NormanTranscript.com.
Mar. 9, 2021 | Tulsa World
Letter: Gov. Kevin Stitt's Medicaid decisions mean Oklahoma medicine provides fewer services to patients and gets less funding to providers
In the summer of 2020, the citizens of Oklahoma voted to expand Medicaid. Expansion would provide increased access and coverage for the medical and psychiatric needs of our community.
To read the full article, visit TulsaWorld.com.
Mar. 1, 2021 | NonDoc
Letter: Managed Medicaid will not save money or improve outcomes
In a letter to you dated Feb. 19, Karma Robinson insinuated that managed care will improve outcomes in the Medicaid populations. That is one of the biggest lies being pushed in the fight.
To read the full article, visit NonDoc.com.
Feb. 19, 2021 | Oklahoma Watch
Lawmakers: Gov. Stitt’s Managed Care Plan Complicates Medicaid Expansion Funding Plan
More than half a year after voters approved a state question that will require Oklahoma to offer health coverage to more than 200,000 low-income adults, state officials are still unsure how they’ll pay it.
To read the full article, visit OklahomaWatch.com.
Feb. 13, 2021 | Oklahoman
Medical groups ask Oklahoma Supreme Court to halt plan to outsource Medicaid
A coalition of health care groups is asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to halt Gov. Kevin Stitt's plan to outsource care for most of the state's Medicaid recipients.
To read the full article, visit Oklahoman.com.