OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill moving through the Oklahoma Legislature seeks to put more transparency into the prior authorization process used by health insurance companies.
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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.
The program, SoonerSelect, would outsource health coverage for about 700,000 Medicaid enrollees to four major insurance companies. The groups are asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to assess whether the program is legal, and to put a pause on it in the meantime.
Last week, the Oklahoma Association of Health Plans and its national counterpart asked the court for permission to weigh in, supporting health officials and SoonerSelect. If granted that permission, they wouldn’t join the lawsuit but would be allowed to contribute to the arguments made in the lawsuit. That group argues the plan is legal, and are requesting there be no pause on rollout.