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Medicaid Reform Bill Advances: The Measure Would Give the Program $93 Million More to Help at Least 600,000 Poor Oklahomans.

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 March 2006, 09:01 CST

By Mick Hinton, Tulsa World, Okla.

Mar. 14--OKLAHOMA CITY -- The House of Representatives voted 81-17 Monday to approve a sweeping Medicaid health-care reform bill to help more than 600,000 poor Oklahomans annually, although the measure prompted several hours of discussion. House Bill 2842 calls for giving the Medicaid program $93 million more, but Democrats were upset that the bill fails to earmark the money for doctors and hospitals. Critics worry that the new dollars would be used to entice private insurance companies to offer reduced-coverage health-care plans for the poor. Rep. Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa, persuaded the bill's House author to enter for the record his intentions regarding where the money would go. Rep. Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, said his intent is to make sure "that this money, this $93 million state allocation, will be used to get providers," hospitals and doctors who treat Medicaid to the upper limits of payment. Lamons had failed to get an amendment heard that would have earmarked the $93 million. The lawmaker said St. Francis Hospital and St. John, Hillcrest and Tulsa Regional medical centers provide about $100 million in Medicaid client care annually. Rep. Doug Cox, R-Grove, the only medical doctor in the Legislature, said he has found it difficult to find specialists who would treat children on Medicaid because of low reimbursement. A Tulsa federal judge ruled last year that the state needed to increase payments to doctors treating poor children. Cox said he has family members who fit in this category. He said his stepdaughter is a stay-at-home mother and that her husband is in the tree-trimming business, so their income qualifies his grandson for Medicaid, and he is enrolling in the program. "This shows that many people who qualify for Medicaid come from working families," Cox said. Rep. Al Lindley, D-Oklahoma City, complained that some people can end up with no coverage for certain health problems, such as mental illness. Steele said rising Medicaid costs "will completely consume our entire budget" within 10 years.

He reviewed several reform areas that the bill addresses, including a sys-tem to lessen the cost of prescriptions by working toward an online ordering system; a program to reward good nursing homes; and a provision to tighten income requirements for older people so that they cannot hide assets.

The House bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. Sen. Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, said Monday that he anticipates several changes in the measure. Adelson has objected to using state tax revenue to shore up Medicaid. Instead, he prefers a proposal in which hospitals would provide 1 percent of their gross revenues to help Medicaid. ------------ Mick Hinton (405) 528-2465 mick.hinton@tulsaworld.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Tulsa World, Okla.

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Source: Tulsa World

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