Medicaid block grant proposal would hurt states, consumers and providers

The U.S. House or Representatives is expected to vote tomorrow on a federal budget proposal for the coming year that would —  among other things —  force drastic cuts to Medicaid that would harm Oklahoma seniors, people with disabilities, and… 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...]

Happy Anniversary, ACA

Today is the one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama signing into law the landmark Affordable Care Act (ACA).  Many of the most far-reaching provisions of the health care reform law – including the launch of new health insurance exchanges for… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Named Early Innovator: $54 million to build the best health care technology in the country

The ‘Oklahoma Health Insurance Exchange’ will begin serving as an online marketplace for individual and small group consumers to buy private insurance in 2014.  Online insurance exchanges – which we discussed in this recent blog post –  are one of… Read more [More...]

Health Care Reform (7): It's more than a mandate

This is the seventh in an ongoing series of posts examining the Affordable Care Act, including previous posts on the Temporary High Risk Pool, health insurance exchanges and tax credits for small businesses.  You can also visit the health care… Read more [More...]

Health Care Reform Resources and Analysis

For resources specific to Oklahoma and the Affordable Care Act click here for Medicaid and here for the Health Insurance Marketplace. Read the Patient and Protection and Affordable Care Act Healthcare.gov AARP American Public Health Association Center on Budget and… Read more [More...]

Guest blog (Shelley Cadamy): Spending on mental health services earns a substantial return on investment

Shelley Cadamy is a native Oklahoman and adoptive/foster parent who has done economic development work in Oklahoma since 1994. During a Leadership Oklahoma City session several years ago, I had the opportunity to ask the Oklahoma City Police Chief and… Read more [More...]

Health Care Reform (6): Implementing Insurance 'Exchanges'

This is the sixth in an ongoing series of posts examining the Affordable Care Act, including previous posts on the Temporary High Risk Pool and tax credits for small businesses.  You can also visit the health care reform page on… Read more [More...]

A patient's eye-opening perspective on Oklahoma's mental health system

Any Oklahoman with an interest in mental health issues would do well to read the article titled “Asylum” that appeared in the December issue of This Land, a new Tulsa-based monthly magazine. The article is a vivid first-hand account by… Read more [More...]

Guest Blog (Donna Rhodes): Long Term Care – The sleeping giant is stirring

Donna Rhodes is the CEO of the Long Term Care Authority, a public trust authority of the city and county of Tulsa leading the Tulsa community and the state in addressing long term care reform. While the voice of long… Read more [More...]