Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board Approves Rate Increases
Posted on: Wednesday, 20 July 2005, 21:01 CDT
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board has voted to increase the Oklahoma Medicaid physician fee schedule to 100 percent of the Medicare rate effective Aug. 1.
The board heard a recommendation at a meeting in Stillwater from the Committee on Rates and Standards to increase the rate for services provided to children and adults in the state's Medicaid program.
The OHCA had been directed in a May 19 order from Judge Claire Eagan of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma to increase rates to ensure prompt access to health care for Medicaid children. House Bill 1088 provided $25 million in funding to the agency to increase provider reimbursement for Medicaid services and Medicare co-insurance and deductible payments for the state fiscal year that began July 1. An estimated 8,700 providers will be affected by the rate increase.
The board also voted to remove the marriage penalty from the Medicaid eligibility rules so that some adults in low-income two- parent households may qualify for Medicaid.
Under the current rules, in a household where both parents are present and neither is disabled, neither parent is eligible for Medicaid regardless of their income unless one parent leaves the family. The revised rule will eliminate the marriage penalty and extend health care coverage to the parents of Medicaid eligible children when the total household income is under 35 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
For a family of three, that equates to $471 per month. Officials estimate as many as 27,000 adult Oklahomans could receive coverage under the rule change.
Agency staff estimated an annual total cost of $3.6 million with a state share of $1 million.
Source: Journal Record - Oklahoma City
Related Articles
- University of Miami President Donna E. Shalala, Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell: Nurse Practitioners Are Key to Obama Health Care Reform, Call for Increased Federal Funding for Innovative Nurse-Managed Health Care
- A Balanced Look at the Current State of the American Health Care System and Where Its Headed
- Study Says Allergy Shots Help Children, Reduce Health Care Costs
- State, Federal Officials Remind Health Care Workers, Other at-Risk Individuals to Get Annual Flu Shot
- State Shutdown Would End Health Care for Many Children, Elderly and Disabled Residents
- State Department of Managed Health Care Grants Specialized Vision Knox-Keene License to March Vision Care
- State Bill Would Shift Health Care Costs
- Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Makes Unprecedented Commitment to PA Children; Extends Health Care to Thousands of Uninsured Through 'Cover All Kids'
- Experts Discuss President's State of the Union Health Care Proposals, Health Savings Accounts and More
- Lewin Group Analyst Available to Comment on State of the Union Health Care Proposals
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds