Advocacy Tracker

Below are big issues and bills the OOA has been actively working on to protect your patients and practice. If you have any questions regarding our advocacy work, please contact us at 405-528-4848.

2021 Legislative Issues

Managed Medicaid

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority attempted to implement a managed care program that would outsource management of Oklahoma's Medicaid population to big, multi-state insurance companies. This would put more delays, denials, and red tape between the patient and their physician. This move by OHCA was done without the approval of the Oklahoma Legislature. The OOA joined a lawsuit as a named petitioner to stop this plan from going forward without the proper legislative approval and rulemaking. The lawsuit was successful at the Oklahoma Supreme Court, with a 6 to 3 opinion handed down in our favor. This rendered the managed care contracts OHCA entered into with the four private insurance companies as null and void.

With our coalition allies and the involvement of concerned members, we were also successful in getting a guard rail bill (SB 131) put in place before this court victory to protect against the negative effects of managed care, should it go through.

It is likely OHCA will push forward with managed care and the OOA is continuing to participate in the fight against this plan.

If you would like to see a timeline of Oklahoma's expansion of Medicaid and the attempted implementation of managed care, please click here.

SB 478

This bill would have expanded the prescriptive authority for advanced practice registered nurses, and added the definition of the term "licensed practitioner" under the Oklahoma Pharmacy Act. The OOA worked to stop this bill and it was not heard in the Senate HHS Committee, stopping it from moving forward. 

HB 2164

This bill would have added psychologists to the defined list of occupations who can call themselves "physicians". This bill was defeated in the House.

HB 2595

This bill would have increased the 30 day period a physical therapist can treat a patient without a referral to 60 days. This bill was defeated in the House.

SB 516

This bill would have allowed physicians to supervise an unlimited number of physician assistants. This bill died in conference.

Previous Legislative Issues

Telemedicine 

The OOA has sent letters to OHCA and six private insurers operating in Oklahoma to encourage them to continue covering telehealth beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. To read a copy of the letter, please click here.

SB 1915 - Physician Assistants

SB 1915 allows flexibility for the way physician assistants practice and are reimbursed, while preserving DO and MD practice rights in the state. To learn more, please click here.

E-PRESCRIBING MANDATE

HB 2931, passed in 2018, requires all Schedule II, III, IV, and Vs to be prescribed electronically. Click here to learn more and view vendors who offer e-prescribing tools. 

SB 1446 & SB 848

Medical Marijuana

No longer do you need to be a board certified physician to recommend but you must be registered with OMMA. Click here for more information and quick links.

SOONERCARE OUT-OF-STATE SERVICES RULE CHANGES

Beginning Sept. 1, 2019 the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) will enact changes to the agency’s out-of-state (OOS) services policies. These changes will continue to ensure members have access to quality care while controlling program costs. Click here to view the changes.