Oklahoma’s $1.3 billion budget hole has lawmakers looking for solutions everywhere, even Medicaid.
Rep. Doug Cox, a doctor, proposed in House Bill 2665 making able-bodied adults younger than 65 and not pregnant ineligible for Medicaid. That’s an estimated 111,000 people.
"When I look at the most vulnerable citizens, in order to preserve that safety net for those, I think we have to look at directing the health care authority to ask to cut these employable folks off," Cox said.
Minority Leader Scott Inman called the move "immoral" and "the complete opposite of the Oklahoma Standard."
"We don't have the legislative leadership, backbone and courage in this building to do what other Republican states — New Mexico, Arizona, Ohio and other places around the country — have done and expand Medicaid and bring our dollars home to cover these folks, so that we don't have to turn around and push them off the rolls," Inman said.
A fiscal impact statement on HB2665 said Oklahoma would save about $330 million but warned the state could lose $3 billion in federal Medicaid funds if the bill is enacted.
Children of people who would lose Medicaid eligibility would remain eligible, but their parents would be stuck paying for all of their own health care costs. Rep. Mike Brown said the state’s spending priorities are misplaced.
"We want to call ourselves 'pro-life,' but we're willing to throw that person and that child into abject poverty for the rest of their life because we want to take care of a professional basketball team or Boeing or some other company," Brown said.
The House budget committee passed the bill 14–7. If it’s enacted, Oklahoma would have to apply for a federal waiver, which is unlikely to be granted.
