Oklahoma Medicaid agency seeks $200 million funding boost
OKLAHOMA CITY — The agency that oversees Medicaid in Oklahoma is requesting an additional $200 million, mostly to maintain its current level of health-care services for low-income residents, the agency’s new leader told state lawmakers on Tuesday.
Becky Pasternik-Ikard, the new chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, outlined her agency’s budget during a hearing Tuesday before the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
Pasternik-Ikard said about $120 million of the agency’s requested budget increase for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is to maintain its current level of programs. An additional $24 million would be required to restore a 3 percent rate cut to Medicaid providers in the state that was implemented last year.
The Health Care Authority received nearly $1 billion in state appropriations last year and was one of the few agencies to receive a funding increase amid a $1.3 billion shortfall.
Read more: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/capitol_report/oklahoma-medicaid-agency-seeks-million-funding-boost/article_6b863e41-6505-53b3-a80b-4c44d6222a3c.html
