Background:

Oklahoma lawmakers on Wednesday were slated to consider SB 1046 that contained a key funding mechanism for Gov. Kevin Stitt’s proposed Medicaid alternative plan, which is untested and will face lengthy legal challenges.

Comment from the Oklahoma Policy Institute:

Lawmakers did the right thing when SB 1046 was not taken up on Wednesday, and this measure should remain tabled. Introduced less than 24 hours before today’s committee meeting, this bill provided a funding mechanism for the governor’s alternative Medicaid plan — a plan the public and most lawmakers have not fully seen. Lawmakers have had more than a decade to find a way to expand Medicaid in Oklahoma. Taxpayers deserve the opportunity to have their elected officials thoughtfully evaluate important financial matters. Rushing this issue through the Legislative process at the last minute further demonstrates that the governor’s Medicaid proposal is both ill-advised and poorly conceived.

We continue to call on the governor’s office to respect the will of Oklahoma voters by setting an election date for SQ 802, which calls for straightforward Medicaid expansion. This remains the only tried and true path to providing health care coverage for Oklahomans who need it the most.