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Dick Pryor: This is Capitol Insider, your weekly look inside Oklahoma politics, policy and government. I m Dick Pryor with eCapitol news director, Shawn Ashley. So far, this legislative session has been highlighted by several bills that may have important implications but have received attention in large part because of their political shock value. There s been a lot of posturing on social issues, but these kinds of bills often generate more heat than light and wind up not becoming law. So rather than give more oxygen to those bills, today let s talk about some substantive legislation that may not be getting attention but could affect a lot of people. Shawn, first, an update is in the works for the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program.
Oklahoman
An Oklahoma state lawmaker introduced legislation Wednesday to stop Gov. Kevin Stitt from overhauling Oklahoma s Medicaid program.
Rep. Marcus McEntire introduced legislation for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to implement internal managed care as opposed to outsourcing care management for most Medicaid recipients to four major insurance companies.
In other words, McEntire, R-Duncan, wants to reform the Health Care Authority so the agency better manages health care for Medicaid recipients in-house.
McEntire has been an outspoken critic of the governor s $2 billion plan to implement privatized Medicaid managed care, in which the state would pay private companies to oversee health care for most of the program s beneficiaries. The changes, which were approved by the Health Care Authority board, are expected to occur in the fall, after Oklahoma expands Medicaid on July 1 to cover more low-income residents.
State Lawmaker Takes Shot At Stopping Stitt s Move To Outsource Management Of Medicaid publicradiotulsa.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from publicradiotulsa.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Janelle Stecklein/ CNHI State Reporter Mar 17, 2021
Mar 17, 2021
Jarred Shobert stocks the shelves Wednesday at Spirit Shop. A new state measure may soon make it easier to purchase alcohol at liquor stores.Jesse Crittenden The Transcript
OKLAHOMA CITY â Oklahomans may soon by able to get cocktails to go, purchase liquor at a drive-thru window and use an automated machine to dispense wine and beer as part of series of measures that have cleared the state House.
The most controversial of these measures would allow retail spirit licensees to sell alcoholic beverages in an original sealed container via a drive-thru window. House lawmakers at first rejected the proposal, but hours later reversed course and passed it.
OKLAHOMA CITY â If Gov. Kevin Stitt can follow through with his plans, the stateâs Medicaid recipients may find themselves dealing with private companies in the future.
Medicaid benefits in Oklahoma are dispersed through SoonerCare. Stitt wants to privatize SoonerCare, and officials including Secretary of Health Kevin Corbett say the controversial effort was spurred by Oklahoma votersâ insistence that the state accept the federal Medicaid expansion.
On Jan. 29, state officials awarded $2.1 billion in health insurance contracts and the bulk of Oklahomaâs Medicaid program to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Humana Healthy Horizons, Oklahoma Complete Health â a subsidiary of Centene â and United Healthcare. They become effective Oct. 1.