OCPA Reacts To OK Medicaid Report

Statement from OCPA Fiscal Policy Director Jonathan Small on the Leavitt Partners Report

“The report released today by the Leavitt Partners is noble in its intentions. However, one of the centerpieces of the report is for Oklahoma policymakers to attempt to access a portion of Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion dollars. But the experience of other states and a wealth of research from around the country has shown, time and again, that the only thing the Obama administration will allow states to do with federal Medicaid expansion dollars is expand what has become a broken entitlement program that often produces worse health outcomes than if individuals had no health insurance at all. Any use of Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion dollars will result in billions of dollars in additional state spending — on the backs of Oklahoma taxpayers. Before Oklahoma policymakers even contemplate expanding Medicaid, they should first work to reform the program in such a way as to rein in its ballooning costs and incentivize successful health outcomes for beneficiaries.”

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