Tagged: Health Care Reform

On this installment of StudioTulsa on Health, our guest host, Dr. John Henning Schumann, chats with John Silva, CEO of Morton Comprehensive Health Services, a non-profit organization which dates back to 1921 --- it first came into being as Maurice Willows Hospital, when it was created by the American Red Cross in the immediate wake of the Tulsa Race Riot --- and which is now one of Oklahoma's largest community health centers.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma Board of Health member has resigned — saying he did so because of Governor Mary Fallin's decision not to accept federal funding to expand the state's Medicaid program.

Glenn Davis told the Tulsa World on Friday that it "doesn't make any sense" that Fallin would reject the funding. He says the money would help Oklahomans who have no insurance.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Governor Mary Fallin is delaying a decision on whether the state will set up its own health insurance exchange or allow a federal model to be established in Oklahoma.

Fallin's office announced Friday the Republican governor decided to delay her decision after the federal government extended the deadline for states to provide notice if they plan to set up an exchange, which is an online health insurance marketplace where people can shop for coverage.

The decision last month by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Car Act (or ACA) has opened up new avenues of opposition --- or, as some states would have it, new grounds on which to reject the law. In its momentous decision, the Court said basically that any state could opt out of the law's expansion of Medicaid with no penalties to its existing programs. Under the ACA, the federal government will help states expand their coverage of Medicaid patients to 133% of the poverty line.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Members of Oklahoma's U.S. House delegation, including the lone Democrat, have voted for a resolution to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Congressman Dan Boren joined fellow U.S. Representatives Tom Cole, James Lankford, Frank Lucas and John Sullivan, all Republicans, in passing HR 6079, which would repeal the law in its entirety. Boren was among five U.S. House Democrats who voted for the resolution on Wednesday.

Some 185 House members voted against the measure.