House GOP Leaders Announce Health Plan

House Republican leaders announced a plan today that seeks to eliminate the barriers that have traditionally prevented Oklahomans from obtaining private health insurance.
Factors like cost, lack of options and deficient information for consumers have often stood in the way of Oklahomans seeking health insurance for themselves and their families.

“A government-run, universal health care system that puts health choices in the hands of government instead of patients is not what Oklahomans want,” said House Speaker Chris Benge , R-Tulsa. “At the most basic level, Oklahomans want to be able to choose their own doctor and be able to afford medical services when needed. This plan will address affordability and access so all Oklahomans can take more control of their personal health outcomes.”

The plan is based on the work last interim in the House Health Care Reform Task Force, whose members sought ways to reduce Oklahoma’s high number of uninsured.
One effort will be to further strengthen and promote the state’s Insure Oklahoma program, a public-private partnership that gives premium assistance to small business workers and employers. The program has served as a model to other states and recently received national attention for its creative approach in providing affordable insurance.
“There are many things our state is doing right when it comes to health care, but there is much more to do. Oklahoma is not alone in the challenge of providing affordable health care options to our residents, but we must craft a solution that fits the specific needs of our state,” said House Speaker Pro Tempore Kris Steele, R-Shawnee.

“The purpose of these reforms is to remove many of the obstacles people struggle with in obtaining health insurance, and allow more Oklahomans to become insured. Our goal is to improve the overall health of our state by empowering and equipping patients to invest in their own health care needs and outcomes,” he said.

Dr. Doug Cox, co-chairman of the Health Care Reform Task Force, said this is an ambitious plan that seeks to make Oklahomans healthier over the long-term.

“We are only one of many states grappling with the issue of health care reform nationwide, but this plan would take a big step toward reducing the number of uninsured in our state while allowing patients to maintain personal control over their health decisions,” said Cox, R-Grove. “As with many far-reaching plans, this may not be something we can accomplish in one single year, but we must start down the path of improving our state’s health, and this plan will give us a roadmap to do just that.”

The comprehensive plan includes:

Reform/improve Insure Oklahoma - Insure Oklahoma is an effective public-private model for providing assistance to Oklahomans who meet certain eligibility requirements and are seeking health care coverage. The program can be improved by offering more choices. HB 2026 directs both the employer-sponsored insurance and individual insurance plans to offer additional low-cost options, such as high deductible plans compatible with health savings accounts. In addition, the proposal seeks to incorporate incentives for the use of preventative care and wellness programs into Insure Oklahoma. Also, Insure Oklahoma would be modified to be more customer-friendly, especially at the point of eligibility determination and enrollment.

Reform the Individual Market – HB 2026 will enable insurance providers to offer basic preventative plans with catastrophic coverage by relaxing mandates so more low-cost choices can be offered to uninsured Oklahomans.

Encourage the use of Section 125 Plans – HB 2026 provides incentives to businesses that offer Section 125 Plans so employees can use pre-tax dollars to purchase health care coverage.

Establish the Oklahoma Exchange – The plan builds upon the current infrastructure to provide a service to assist individuals seeking to enroll in an insurance plan that would best meet their needs.

Establish Enrollment Options at Point of Access - In order to provide greater access to private health insurance and strengthen the marketplace for insurers, hospitals, physicians and other health care providers, cost-shifting must be reduced to moderate premiums. HB 2026 will address the matter of uncompensated emergency room and inpatient hospital care of indigent patients. Under the provisions of the plan, individuals will be offered the opportunity to enroll in an affordable insurance plan at the point of service and delivery of care. Under this model, the Oklahoma Exchange would be used to proactively connect individuals without health insurance to coverage options.

There are also several long-term goals House leadership will evaluate subject to available funding. Those reforms include:

Reforming the High Risk Pool - A high percentage of health care costs are incurred by a relatively small percentage of people with chronic health problems. These people often cannot obtain insurance in the private market. The state’s current high risk pool, intended to offer insurance to those who cannot purchase it privately, does not adequately address these problems. Over the long-term, state leaders must work to reform the high risk program by lowering the cost of insurance to those who cannot purchase private insurance and providing assistance for those with lower incomes. The insurance plans offered through the reforms should include a primary care physician who will supervise the patient’s care and effectively manage the conditions of the chronically ill.

Focusing on Workforce Development and Physician Manpower – One common thread heard last year during the interim study was a shortage of qualified health care personnel in Oklahoma, particularly nurses and primary care physicians. In the long-term, officials will consider increasing support for programs that develop and enhance the health care workforce.

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