Articles
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Health Care
Eliminate barriers to free-market principles in health care
The White House released a policy report outlining their solutions for health care reform. In their report, they urged Congress and states to eliminate unnecessary regulatory barriers that impede competition and choice in America’s health care system.Kaitlyn Finley | December 14, 2018
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Health Care
New director, new direction
If you haven’t heard, Oklahoma’s Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust is searching for a new director. But what this small state agency with a giant bank account really needs is a new direction.Jonathan Small | December 7, 2018
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Health Care
Congress must follow states’ initiative and reform Medicaid
To ensure the longevity of Medicaid, Congress should change the funding model and implement block grants that give states the flexibility to innovate and introduce cost-saving measures that deliver better care to their most vulnerable constituents.Kaitlyn Finley | December 6, 2018
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Health Care
Medicaid health outcomes questionable
Congress and state legislatures together have spent trillions of dollars on Medicaid and CHIP over the past two decades. At the same time, there has been relatively little research on health outcomes for beneficiaries. Studies so far show mixed results, with some even showing worse outcomes for people on Medicaid than for people with no coverage at all.Kaitlyn Finley | November 21, 2018
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Health Care
Medicaid eating state budget, feeding national debt
SoonerCare expenditures, as a percentage of total state spending, have nearly doubled since 1997. They now account for 30 percent of total Oklahoma state spending.Kaitlyn Finley | November 19, 2018
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Health Care
States turn to work requirements to fight escalating Medicaid costs
Due to rapidly escalating costs and increases in enrollment, states are pursuing new ways to reform their Medicaid programs, including work requirements for certain eligible able-bodied adults.Kaitlyn Finley | November 13, 2018
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
As TSET endowment grows, so do questions about spending
The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) preliminarily certified $64.8 million for fiscal year 2018. These earnings come from the $1.2 billion endowment for TSET. As the endowment has grown, the scope of the trust has expanded from tobacco-related programs to some questionable areas.Curtis Shelton | November 7, 2018
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Health Care
Charting Oklahoma Medicaid growth over the past 20 years
In 2017, more than 1 million Oklahomans were on SoonerCare, Oklahoma’s Medicaid program. Over the last 20 years, the state’s annual cost of the medical welfare program has increased from $536 million to more than $2.3 billion.Kaitlyn Finley | November 5, 2018
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Health Care
New Medicaid audits save taxpayers $250 million in Massachusetts
According to a new report issued by the Pioneer Institute, Massachusetts saved $250 million on administrative costs for their Medicaid program, MassHealth, by utilizing new automation methods in their audit process.Kaitlyn Finley | November 5, 2018
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Health Care
President Trump scales back Obamacare regulations, expanding health insurance choices
Recently, the Trump administration issued new regulatory guidelines regarding the use of Obamacare’s state innovation waivers. This new guidance allows Oklahoma more flexibility to potentially offer more types of health insurance plans that could increase choice and lower premiums for individuals and small businesses.Kaitlyn Finley | November 2, 2018