LAWTON — State policymakers warned health leaders Wednesday to brace themselves for long and difficult budget cycles in the next few legislative sessions.

Ed McFall, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority board chairman, said at the agency's board meeting Thursday that the day before, he and other leaders gathered with Terry Cline, Oklahoma health and human services secretary, and lawmakers to discuss the budget outlook for the next state fiscal year.

"They really don't know what the budget hole is going to be, but we heard figures all the way from $600 million to $1.2 billion yesterday," McFall said. "And those figures, you're talking real money. And those are state dollars. ... Next year is going to be a really tough year, and the year after that appears to be the same."

About 45 people, including Cline, staff from Gov. Mary Fallin's office and Sen. Clark Jolley, attended the meeting, aimed at cautioning agencies about what the next budget cycle might hold, Cline said.