OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Gov. Kevin Stitt has been pushing for privatized Medicaid enlargement for months and it seems like he’ll get his want.
It seems like legislators have given up their combat to maintain the enlargement, voted for by Oklahomans final yr, within the palms of the state, however that doesn’t imply they’re accomplished with the problem.
They’re now specializing in ensuring Oklahoma doesnt repeat the errors made by the 42 different states which have some kind of managed care.
“There are some issues that we now have seen in different states that managed care corporations have accomplished that make it actually exhausting for suppliers to achieve success,” mentioned Sen. Greg McCortney.
The Republican from Ada is speaking concerning the rewriting of Senate Invoice 131. As an alternative of pushing for state-run Medicaid enlargement. The authors say it places guardrails on the Governor’s privatized plan to ensure Managed Care Organizations sustain their finish of the deal.
“Ensuring our suppliers receives a commission in time, ensuring that the Medicaid sufferers themselves don’t have to attend lengthy for prior authorizations,” mentioned Rep. Marcus McEntire, the invoice’s co-author.
“In rural Oklahoma, we wish to guarantee that we shield these suppliers so our hospitals keep open, our docs can keep in small city Oklahoma. So we put some guardrails in to guarantee that the best way they work with these managed care organizations could make everyone profitable,” mentioned McCortney.
The invoice additionally makes certain that if MCO’s don’t observe guidelines they might be breaking state legislation
“Sadly, a variety of these insurance policies have been round for a very long time, because it took Oklahoma so lengthy to just accept Medicaid enlargement. There are a variety of classes to be discovered from different states errors,” mentioned Senator Mary Boren.
Lawmakers are calling this a compromise invoice, however some nonetheless suppose state-run enlargement was the best way to go. They are saying solely two of the 4 MCO’s concerned are Oklahoma primarily based.
“I simply personally don’t wish to see Oklahoma’s tax {dollars} going to counterpoint enormous corporations. I’d reasonably use that cash to speculate again into our healthcare system inside the state,” mentioned McEntire.
“It’s completely not my dream come true invoice. I’ve come to imagine that good coverage is coverage the place everyone seems to be indignant and proper now we now have excellent coverage, I imagine,” mentioned McCortney.
If the invoice passes by way of the Home and Senate as anticipated it could probably face a veto from the Governor.
“If the Governor vetos the invoice, I very a lot count on the legislature to take up an override on the veto,” mentioned McCortney.
We reached out to the Governor’s workplace. They are saying they don’t have any touch upon the invoice presently. The guardrail invoice did go by way of the Senate at this time; it now strikes to the Home.
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