Oklahoma hospitals have launched an initiative to encourage lawmakers to broaden healthcare coverage under Insure Oklahoma, a state-run insurance program that helps provide health insurance to small business employees, as well as people who don't have access to employer-sponsored insurance, according to a Public Radio Tulsa report.
Here are four things to know about the initiative.
1. The initiative, launched by the Oklahoma Hospital Association, is called makeOKbetter.
2. With the initiative, the OHA is proposing that federal money normally targeted for Medicaid expansion be used to expand Insure Oklahoma, OHA President Craig Jones said, according to the report. The OHA claims doing such could create jobs and help save rural hospitals.
3. The initiative comes as the state has yet to expand Medicaid. According to a Tulsa World report, Insure Oklahoma was expected to be phased out in favor of Medicaid expansion. However, instead of expansion state leaders have relied on a series of federal waivers to continue Insure Oklahoma.
4. More information about the initiative can be found here.
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