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Expanding Medicaid would greatly increase the federal government’s control over Oklahoma’s state budget. If Oklahoma chose to expand Medicaid it could increase the federal government’s share of the state budget to over 50 percent.

To combat the problem of “surprise” medical bills, experts encouraged Oklahoma lawmakers to ban “balance billing” Oklahoma consumers and to increase health-care price transparency.

Some Oklahoma lawmakers have proposed a plan to expand Medicaid eligibility through the Insure Oklahoma program. But Oklahoma Senate Bill 605 and similar iterations, known as the “Oklahoma Plan,” are just a ploy to implement Obamacare Medicaid expansion in the Sooner State and shift hundreds of thousands of able-bodied, working age adults onto Oklahoma’s Medicaid rolls. The plan has three major components: (1) massively increase spending to implement Obamacare Medicaid expansion by way of premium assistance; (2) create a brand new welfare program for 628,000 able-bodied adults; and (3) propose a program that other states have found to be twice as expensive as predicted and with no measurable performance goals or changes in health outcomes. Oklahoma policymakers should reject Obamacare Medicaid expansion, SB 605, or any other plan to “access federal dollars” that expands welfare, and instead refocus their efforts on improving the Medicaid program for the most vulnerable and promoting meaningful health care reforms.

Tennessee announced it is seeking to cap total Medicaid spending by utilizing block grants. If the state’s proposal is approved by the Trump administration, other states would likely follow suit.

Walmart is shaking up the health care industry by offering low-cost primary-care services to its retail customers.

Despite the fact that approximately 800,000 adults were mistakenly added to Medicaid rolls in expansion states, some Oklahoma lawmakers still seek to expand this welfare program.

If Oklahoma expands its Medicaid program to cover able-bodied adults, as allowed by the federal Affordable Care Act, Oklahoma government will have to either raise taxes or divert money from other programs, U.S. Sen. James Lankford warns.

Politicians’ attempts to increase insurance coverage will do little to reduce medical costs or ensure appropriate medical care, according to a top medical expert.

Medicaid expansion has proven to be a costly mistake for states. Oklahoma lawmakers should be wary of expanding Medicaid in exchange for temporary “conservative” reforms.

Researchers estimate personal behaviors account for 40 percent of the determinants of health, with another 30 percent attributed to genetics. Health care accounts for just 10 percent.