MM Curator summary
OK managed care appears safe, with the legislature struggling to get the votes needed to overturn the change.
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Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Medicaid privatization plan is likely to prevail despite broad legislative opposition, Oklahoma Speaker of the House Charles McCall, R-Atoka, told the Tulsa Regional Chamber during a Friday Zoom call.
“The reality is, unless the Legislature has a supermajority in both chambers that wants to set a different policy for the state, (managed care) is very likely to stand,” McCall said during a call that included Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Edmond; Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City; and House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman.
“Historically, (managed care) has not been the preferred approach,” McCall said. “I think the great majority of the members still feel that way but will continue to see how that plays out this legislative cycle.”
McCall suggested a connection between privatizing Medicaid and implementation of expanded Medicaid, which was mandated by passage last year of a statewide referendum, but he didn’t elaborate.
None of the other leaders was asked about Stitt’s managed care initiative, but on Friday Virgin said she wants to hear “from both sides” and is concerned solely with how to deliver the best services at the best price.
She noted that the state’s previous experience with managed care was not a good one and said, “What I hear is how this time would be different.”
