OHCA CEO: Medicaid Reform Necessary
Next Oklahoma legislative session may include Medicaid reform
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the state’s Medicaid agency, has requested $149 million in additional money on top of its budget request. The growing amount of money needed to administer Medicaid could lead to discussion at the Capitol about how to reform the program.
By Jaclyn Cosgrove
Gov. Mary Fallin and state lawmakers seem interested in Medicaid reform, the CEO of the state’s agency said Thursday.
Nico Gomez, CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, said the interest is somewhat motivated by the authority asking for $149 million in additional funding in its budget request.
“They’re very serious about Medicaid reform because they’re all looking at the same number,” Gomez said. “They’re looking at our budget number, and they’re going ‘We can’t keep sustaining this growth each year.’”
Alex Weintz, Fallin’s spokesman, said the governor’s office is always interested in looking at ways to make every government service more cost efficient and effective, which certainly includes Medicaid.