Tag: Insurance Commissioner

Step up or step aside: Looming deadline forces Oklahoma's hand on a health exchange

The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the health care law, or Affordable Care Act (ACA), will soon compel even the most reluctant states to address their central responsibility under the law – state-based health insurance exchanges.  Exchanges, which we’ve blogged… Read more [More...]

New insurance rule throws the baby out with the bathwater

As the Affordable Care Act is implemented across the nation, states have taken varying approaches to making sure coverage is available for all children.  While most states have done a good job maintaining and ensuring the availability of health insurance… Read more [More...]

Gov. Fallin to Insurance Underwriters: Like it or not, health reform is the law of the land

The Tulsa Association of Health Underwriters hosted Governor Mary Fallin and Insurance Commissioner John Doak at a forum on how health care reform would affect the insurance industry.  Addressing a packed house at the Tulsa Country Club, Governor Fallin repeated… Read more [More...]

Politics for architects, or how fewer elections can be good for democracy

This week the Senate narrowly approved a bill to change how several state officials get their jobs. Under SB622, the State Treasurer, Labor Commissioner, Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent, and the three-member Corporation Commission would be appointed by the governor and… Read more [More...]

New program for uninsured individuals with pre-existing conditions now accepting applications

A key provision of the health care reform law passed in March creates new insurance options for individuals with pre-existing health conditions. The new program, known as the Oklahoma Temporary High Risk Pool, began accepting applications this week. Click here… Read more [More...]

Health care reform (3): Coming sooner for individuals with pre-existing conditions

This is the third in an ongoing series of posts looking at the impact of the new federal health care reform law on Oklahoma and Oklahomans. Our previous posts have explored the “cliff effect” and the  impact on state budgets.… Read more [More...]

State Coverage Initiative looks at options for expanding coverage

Over the past two years,  Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland has been spearheading an extensive effort known as the State Coverage Initiative (SCI) to develop a plan to extend health insurance coverage to a sizable segment of the 640,000 Oklahomans who… Read more [More...]